Coinage
Paper
Money
Miscellaneous
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Wartime
Coinage
World
War II bHererought
about some temporary
changes in some United States
coinage. Most notably in “war time
nickels” and the 1943 steel cent. Both
Copper and Nickel were needed during the war, and in effort to do this,
the US
Mint changed the composition of these two coins for a few years (only
one year
for the cent).
1943
Steel Cent
At the time,
cents were typically made from 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc (tin was
later
removed). But
during the war,
copper was
needed and so the mint ended up cutting out copper from the
composition, and
changed it to 100% steel, with a zinc coating.
The
coating was there
to protect against rust, however, the coating did
not cover the edge, and so the cents would quickly deteriorate. Due
to public outcry, the composition was
changed back to what it used to be.
These cents,
although only minted for one year, are by no means
“rare,” and can be purchased
for about 10 cents (in circulated condition). The combined mintage for
all the
branches exceeds one billion (about 1.09 billion).
War Time
Nickels
(1942-1945)
Similar
to
the cent, the composition of these five cent pieces was changed so that
both
the copper and nickel could be used for the war effort.
In
1942 both types were actually minted, the
regular nickel (75% copper, 25% nickel) and the new war composition
(56%
copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese).
By
doing this, the mint cut out some copper from the composition and all
the
nickel. Because of
the
composition, the
nickels tended to turn a dark color after being in circulation for a
while
(take a circulated war nickel and throw it into a pile of regular
nickels, the
difference is quite apparent). One
of
the most notable changes about the war time nickel, aside from
it’s
composition, is the fact that the mint mark was moved from the right of
the Monticello,
to on top of
it – it’s also very large, and very distinct.
http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/fun_facts/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=fun_facts2
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