According to a report from CNN,  Don Lutes Jr. kept a 1943 copper penny he stumbled upon in his high school cafeteria about 70 years ago in a safe behind a wall in his Pittsfield, Massachusetts home.  His health was declining, so he wanted to make sure the penny went to a good home, so he had it auctioned off.  It went for $204,000.00!!

 

According to my penny history expert, Aaron:  In 1943, the federal mint produced only steel pennies because of the metal shortage because of WW II, but there was still copper in the coin presses from 1942, so... there were about 200 total coins from 1943 that were copper, that's how rare they are. They were pressed in Philadelphia, Denver and San fran - philly doesn't have any marker because it was the dominant creator of pennies, however if you see a D on a penny, that stands for Denver and S stand s for San Francisco. Apparently, there are a few more of the 200 out there!  Also, in 1944- there are a few steel ones in circulation before copper came back.

I don't know how he knows all this stuff, but if it has to do at all with money, he knows!!  He's wicked smaaaaht!

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