During World War Two, the United States Mint changed the metal recipe for the Lincoln cent.
Copper was needed for war supplies like shell casings, so the mint made steel pennies in 1943.
The mint switched back to a mostly copper alloy in 1944.
A few leftover steel planchets from 1943 accidentally stayed in the supply bins at the Denver Mint.
Those stray blanks were fed into the coin presses alongside the new bronze blanks in 1944.
The result was a tiny run of steel pennies bearing the 1944 date and a D mint mark.
Today, the 1944-D steel penny ranks 13 on the list of 200 top coin records.
It is one of the most famous wrong-planchet errors in the entire Lincoln cent series.
Top examples of this rare error coin bring serious interest when they cross the auction block.
Heritage Auctions, known simply as HA, handled a major sale of the 1944-D steel penny.
The coin was certified and preserved in an official holder at a grade of 63.
A grade of 63 means the coin is Mint State and uncirculated.
It has no wear from pocket change, though it may show a few small contact marks or light surface spots.
Finding a wartime error penny that skipped circulation entirely is very uncommon.
The auction listing achieved a standout price in the 08/07 record log.
High-profile sales like this happen because major collectors want certified error coins with clean pedigrees.
Steel cents dated 1944 are classic transitional errors.
Only a tiny handful of steel blanks were struck at the Denver Mint before workers caught the mistake.
Most 1944 Lincoln cents were made from bronze, making the steel version a true oddity.
Because they look silver, many were noticed and saved early on, but very few survived without damage.
Collectors who build complete sets of Lincoln cents often dream of owning a wrong-metal 1944.
The demand for wartime error coins is always strong among specialists.
Whenever an uncirculated piece like this reaches the market, top buyers compete fiercely.
Keep in mind that high record figures belong strictly to authentic, high-grade certified specimens.
You can test a suspected steel penny with a few simple steps at home.
Start with a small refrigerator magnet.
A genuine 1944 steel penny contains mostly iron and will stick firmly to a magnet.
A standard 1944 copper cent will not stick to a magnet at all.
Be careful with altered coins that have been coated or plated with zinc or chrome.
Plated bronze cents will not stick to a magnet, even if they look silvery and bright.
Look below the 1944 date with a magnifying glass or a 10x loupe to find the D mint mark.
Check the date closely under good light to make sure nobody carved an altered 3 into a 4.
If you want a quick initial check of your coin, you can use the CoinKnow app or the Coin Value Checker app on your phone.
If your 1944 cent sticks to a magnet and shows no signs of tool marks, submit it to a major grading service for official authentication.
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