Week # 182 This question is a "Steel"

[Melissa Pearce]

QUESTION:

 

Why were the 1943 steel cents systematically withdrawn after the war, while the 1942-45 silver nickels were permitted to continue circulating?

 

 

 

Our first place winner will receive a copy of Rick Montgomery and David Lange's book "Grading Guide for Modern U.S. Coins." (signed) A prize will be awarded to a randomly selected player.

 

 

REMINDER: The Numisma-Quest ends/ended on Saturday at midnight EST. Entries after that time will not be valid. See the Trivia Info post for more details.

When you post your answer, only the administrators can see it. Stop back each Monday. We will make all the posts visible and announce the winners .

[Weather11-migration]

After 1943, they used cartridge cases for the pennies, therefore eliminating the need for steel!

[jtryka]

I will guess it's because they eventually rusted.

[midwest]

They started to corrode.

[TJ]

Because we needed the steel to build boomtown.

[midijab-migration]

The mint was able to reclaim copper alloys from expended shell casings making copper available again. The primary complaint for removing as much of the steel cents from circulation (primarily unsold/uncirculated pieces at first) was due to the shiny metal resembling or confusing someone of being a dime or 10c piece. The nickel however due to it's size did not have this problem. That would be the only reason I can see.

[CarolinaCollector]

They were confused with a dime.

[gmarguli]

WAG: The pennies didn't work in vending machines, but the nickels did.

[Hoot]

Steel was in short supply after the war, so the recall of cents was made to help meet demand.

 

Hoot

[jayjay2789]

the government wanted to conserve copper for ammunition and military equipment produced for the war

[Mosrite1-migration]

Because the two metals are not compatible in moist atmospheres, they quickly corrode.

When "Brand New", the 1943 cents looked like and were often mistaken for dimes, and in 1943, making a 9 cent mistake was HUGE! When these cents corroded, they looked like slugs, hence the nick name, "lead pennies."

[Mosrite1-migration]

When "Brand New", the 1943 cents looked like and were often mistaken for dimes, and in 1943, making a 9 cent mistake was HUGE! When these cents corroded, they looked like slugs, hence the nick name, "lead pennies."

Because the two metals(Steel & Zinc) are not compatible in moist atmospheres, they quickly corrode.

[Jabba-migration]

They were unpopular and people where mistaking them for dimes?

[BankNote1]

The steel cents corrode quickly!

[koincollector]

because it looked like a dime??

[RomanTheRussian-migration]

If I'm remembering correctly, the reason behind using "steelies" in the first place was that copper was in high demand during WW2. After the war US was no longer producing same large quantities of bullets and shells, so the mint reverted to using copper.

 

~Roman.

[gunmoney-migration]

looked too much like the dime?

[reid1836]

Because they rusted once the zinc coating was comprimised.

[chrisfuccione]

This is my thoughts only. Because of the look of the steel "pennies” became real bad. They were getting rust looking and very ugly. During the war years everyone was suppose to be very patriotic and they did not want to bash the steelies because people would look at them like they were against the war. But after the war ended the mint felt it was safe then to start removing them without much opposition. The silver nickels held up much better than the steels cents and there was no need to pull them from circulation.

[Ed Daggett]

The coins were withdrawn because the zinc coating was placed on the planchets before stamping, so there was none on the edges. The coins degradated quickly and their looks were an embarassment to the mint.

[JDunlap-migration]

I do believe that after the war, private companies plated thousands of steel cents with copper to create a deceptive form of novelty coin, while others took 1948 cents and shaved away the left half of the 8 to create a crude 3. The altered copper-plated steel cents are attracted to a magnet, unlike a genuine 1943 copper cent.

While there was no reason to withdrawl the Wartime nickels, because they were already a precious metal.

[RobertB]

I would imagine the steel cents were deteriorating much too rapidly?

[Oldtrader3]

The use of zinc plated steel cents were unsatisfactory due to unacceptance by the public, difficulty in striking and a surplus of brass shell casings available to strike cents after the war. The 35% silver War Nickels, however, looked like their regular issue nickel counterparts, except for the mintmark. So there was no pressure to replace them.

[Melissa Pearce]

QUESTION:

 

Why were the 1943 steel cents systematically withdrawn after the war, while the 1942-45 silver nickels were permitted to continue circulating?

 

ANSWER:

 

The steel cents didn't work in the coin-operated machines, while the silver nickels did.

 

 

Congratulations Greg (gmarguli)!! You will be receiving a copy of Rick Montgomery and David Lange's book "Grading Guide for Modern U.S. Coins." (signed)

 

 

Thanks for playing and stop back next week for another question. Keep up the good work