The Lincoln penny has been in circulation since 1909. For most of the 20th century, they were mostly made of copper except for one year during World War II. Copper was a much-needed material during the war, so pennies produced during 1943 had to be made of something else. Before we get into what that was, here is a brief breakdown of what elements common Lincoln pennies are traditionally composed of:
- Brenden Mernagh, Providr.com