The 1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent was created by accident when a few leftover bronze blanks were struck during WWII, as mints switched to steel to save copper. Fewer than twenty are known, each traceable to specific mints.
Once dismissed as fakes, testing proved they were real—and extremely rare. Stories of finds, like a teen selling one for over $200,000, fueled the legend. Today, it’s a reminder that history can hide in plain sight.
