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Rare 1943 Bronze Penny Acquired in Houston

A rare 1943 bronze Lincoln cent valued at $235,000 has been acquired and will debut in a Houston showroom.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Collecting

Rare 1943 Bronze Penny Acquired in Houston

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U.S. Coins and Jewelry has acquired a rare 1943 bronze Lincoln cent currently valued at $235,000. The coin, which has been verified by the Professional Coin Grading Service, will be available for public viewing in Houston starting in October.

Why it matters

This acquisition highlights the extreme rarity of bronze 1943 pennies, which were produced accidentally when copper blanks were left in mint presses. The government primarily used steel blanks that year to conserve copper for World War II efforts.

Experts estimate that only 20 of these rare bronze pennies exist today. The coin has been officially certified as genuine by the Professional Coin Grading Service.

The players

U.S. Coins and Jewelry

This is the numismatic firm that acquired the rare coin and will feature it in their showroom.

Professional Coin Grading Service

This organization is responsible for certifying the authenticity and condition of high-value coins for collectors.

U.S. Mint

This is the federal agency responsible for the production of the nation's circulating coinage.

The details

The coin was held by a Houston-area family since the 1960s after they purchased it from a previous collector. It is currently recognized as one of the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins in the industry.

Timeline

  1. The U.S. Mint originally produced the rare copper pennies in 1943.

  2. A teenager first discovered a copper 1943 penny in 1947 after receiving it as change.

  3. The Houston family held the coin in their collection starting in the 1960s.

  4. The coin will be available for public display on October 3, 2026.

Roadmap

This acquisition underscores the enduring legacy of wartime minting errors in the high-end collectible market. It reflects how accidental production anomalies continue to define value benchmarks for major numismatic dealers and collectors.

Local residents and collectors can view this rare piece of numismatic history in person at the Houston showroom beginning in October. The acquisition provides a unique opportunity to observe a documented rarity that has been held in private hands for decades.

The takeaway

Collectors should always look closely at their change, as rare minting errors can turn common currency into significant historical assets. Professional certification is a critical step to verify the authenticity of any potential treasure discovered in circulation.

Further reading

For more information on the history of rare coins, visit Collecting.

Source note: This article includes information reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.

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