A Penny for Your Thoughts

[Dirtdigger33]

This is an phrase that I am sure all of us have heard at least one time or more and may hear it again at some point. Today it worked for me. I picked a place to go metal detecting this morning that I was hoping would turn out to have some silver. I found this little gem towards the end of my hunt making it a great day. In addition to the 1944 S wheat cent I found $5.34 in clad. I have found other wheat pennies detecting and in general circulation, but this is the 1st 1944 wheatie I have found detecting and in checking through change. Thought I might have found a key date. If it was an authentic 1943 copper wheat or 1944 steel penny I might have taken a week off of work to celebrate and decide how to spend the loot. My trusty Compadre did it again today. Thankyou Tesoro. It was a great hunt. HH everyone.[attachment 231732 1944SWheatPennyObverse.JPG][attachment 231733 1944SWheatPennyReverse.JPG]

 

[mudpuppy]

Yeah, a copper 43 would be the heart attack find...theres what, 20 of them known to exist? Thats some nice clad count too...you know what you are doing alright!
Mud

 

[Dirtdigger33]

There are 40 authentic 1943 copper wheat pennies known to exist. I would pay money just to see one at a convention under glass. I love history and this is an amazing piece of history. You probably know the story of copper being used for bullets during WWII and the use of steel to make pennies that year instead of copper and aces copper escaped the mint. Same thing in 1944 except reversed roles. The mint went back to copper and some steel ones made it out. The are very rare as well. I think it would be awesome to find even a 1943 steel penny in the ground or in circulation. None yet, but I had a friend give me two. The clad I piled up today was in a 4 hour period. Had a few good spots to check out today. It was a really nice day to be out. HH.