If you collect coins, you know about the 1943 steel Lincoln cent.
But, what about the 1944 steel pennny?
While the U.S. Mint struck more than a billion steel pennies in 1943, about 35 examples of the zinc-coated steel cent are known to have been inadvertently struck bearing the date 1944.
Why Were Some 1944 Pennies Struck in Steel?
A popular theory is that some steel coin blanks, or planchets, were left in the hoppers and accidentally distributed.