People love the idea of a coin that survived both World Wars. It feels like a tiny metal time traveler, right? In reality, the coin might be a 1916-1918 Penny from Britain, or a 1943 Steel Cent from the US, but never both dates on one coin. Unless someone dropped two coins in a toaster oven—please don’t try that.
The real treasure lies in the patterns and errors from those war-torn years. For example, a 1917 US Walking Liberty Half Dollar is cool, but a 1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent (made by accident because the mint ran out of steel) is a holy grail. That sucker can fetch over $1 million.
Why Are These Coins So Rare?
War is horrible, and it messes with coin production. During WWI, many countries switched from silver to base metals because silver was needed for the war effort. Nickel and copper became precious commodities for bullets, not pocket change.
During WWII, the US Mint made steel pennies to save copper for shell casings. But here’s the kicker: a handful of 1943 bronze planchets (the blank coin discs) were left in the presses by accident. Those few bronze 1943 cents are the true “World War 2 Coins” collectors obsess over. Only about 20 are known to exist.
For British collectors, the 1933 Penny is the star. The Royal Mint didn’t produce many because there was enough in circulation from WWI. A single 1933 Penny sold for over $100,000 in 2016. That’s a lot of fish and chips.
The First World War 1914-1918, 2 Pound Coin 2015 - Etsy UK
