The 1943 cent was struck at three United States Mint locations: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. Mintmarks (or the lack of them) inform the user of the mint of origin of the coin. On the 1943 copper penny, these mintmarks are easily located. Coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint will not display a mintmark under the date. Coins struck at the Denver and San Francisco mints will be identifiable by the presence of a small mintmark (D for Denver and S for San Francisco) under the date.
While quite rare, the 1943 is not the most valuable United States coin. That honor goes to the nearly impossible-to-own 1933 Saint Gaudens $20 gold double eagle, which last sold for $18.9 million in 2021. For a Lincoln cent, however, the 1943 copper penny is extremely valuable, with circulated examples selling at auction in the past two years bringing between $240,000 and $336,000.
The unique 1943-D copper penny is held in a long term collection and carries an estimated value of over one million dollars.
The 1943-S cents are rarer than the Philadelphia strikes, and are worth between $300,000 and a million dollars based on their condition.
Of all of the known 1943 copper pennies, only own survives in Mint State with full original red color. This Choice Uncirculated coin has weak lettering at the top of IN GOD WE TRUST, the first two letters of LIBERTY, and weakness on the reverse in the motto and the O in ONE and AME of AMERICA. Although this example is heavily spotted, it is miraculous that such a rarity survived in close to its original presentation. We estimate it to be worth in excess of one million dollars, as well.
Re Penny for your thoughts:
I used to dream I’d find one of those.