1943-S 1C MS67 认证号71481434, PCGS号2717

1943-S 1C MS68. Mintage: 191,550,000. A Superb Gem, high-end "steelie" with carefully preserved surfaces, bright gleaming luster and uncommonly sharp definition for this popular one-year type. The 1943-S Lincoln cent is the least available of the wartime steel cent issues, scarcer in all grades than the 1943 or 1943-D issues. David W. Lange commented in 2005: "Of the three zinc-coated steel cent issues, this is the scarcest in gem, though the population data suggests that they're anything but extinct." In his 1996 The Complete Guide to Lincoln Cents, Lange says that "Although saved in vast numbers, the majority of Mint State coins have deteriorated to some degree over the intervening decades. White spotting and even a slight encrustation are not unusual." After the one year steel experiment, the cent returned to a bronze alloy in 1944, with the copper reclaimed from spent cartridge shells.

Ron Guth

The 1943-S Lincoln Cent represents the San Francisco version of the zinc-coated steel Cents issued by the U.S. government as a replacement for the bronze versions used up until that date.  Demand for copper escalated in World War II because of its use in weapons and assorted other items necessary to prosecute the war effectively.  Over 100 million 1943-S Steel Cents were struck, making them very common today.  Apparently, collectors saved many thousands of Mint State examples, as evidenced by the large number of certified examples in the MS66 and MS67 grades.  In MS68, this date is scarce, but not rare, and collectors have ample opportunities to obtain an example in this grade, something that is not possible with other dates in the series.