1944 - S - steel penny

[mario_ro_07]

I came over a 1944 - S - steel penny...Looks right, right size (19 mm), but not sticking to a magnet. I don't know the weight, yet. It may be fake? I couldn't find online any fake ones to compare. Anyone could advise me how to be sure it is a fake?

[argon38]

---

@mario_ro_07 wrote:

but not sticking to a magnet.

---

Most steel coins are magnetic, so if your coin isn't attracted to a magnet that would point to it not  being steel.

[c*me*4*lefton*info]

The surface texture of the metal looks funny also for either steel or copper, too bumpy.

[all_fakes]

A genuine 1944 steel penny will be magnetic, so you are right to be suspicious.

Here's an article on that penny and some of the fakes:

https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/1944-steel-penny/

These were actually zinc-plated steel, and the zinc deteriorated over time, so the surface appearance on yours may be OK....but the non-magnetic, that is an issue.

One common fakery method is to alter the date on a copper penny from another year, and zinc-plate it.  That would give both the surface you see, and be non-magnetic.

You could also check the edge; the genuine ones were struck from blanks made by punching discs from a sheet of zinc-plated steel; so the edges were NOT zinc-plated.   You should be able to tell if this is the case with yours or not.

[argon38]

---

@all_fakes wrote:

One common fakery method is to alter the date on a copper penny from another year, and zinc-plate it.  That would give both the surface you see, and be non-magnetic.

---

No need to even alter the date from another year, just use a standard copper (or rather, brass) 1944 penny and cheaply plate it to make it look like steel.