What is the difference between a 1944 Steel Penny and 1944 copper penny?

Besides the metallic composition of the coin, the biggest difference between a 1944 steel penny and a 1944 copper penny is the value. Read on to see the huge spread in price between a common, circulated 1944 wheat penny and any 1944 steel penny.

Are 1944 copper cents rare?

A lot of collectors get excited when they find a silver colored 1944 cent — thinking they found the rare 1944 steel penny. But in virtually every case, what they have are silver-colored 1944 copper cents. If your 1944 penny sticks to a magnet, it’s a steel cent and it’s rare.

What caused the 1944 silver penny?

While it will probably always remain unknown exactly what caused the 1944 silver penny, as some call it, what we do know is this… The 1944 steel penny has just about as much interest swirling around it as does the 1943 copper penny — an error coin of the opposite kind.