Steel Penny Cache Traditional Cache
Lumberjack Tom: This cache has been devoid of steel pennies for quite a while. Time to put it on the shelf.
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Cache is located in the Yost section of Jefferson Forest. Park at 38*05.135,085*45.243. Cache is a 2.5" round X 4" tall jar with very limited space for trade items. Contents are steel pennies, as described in the text.
In 1943 the world was embroiled in war, and the United States could not spare copper for the minting of coins. The military needed as much of the metal as it could get for the production of shell casings, for which copper was well suited. Copper’s inherent softness allowed it to seal the gunpowder behind the bullet, but not grip the bullet too tightly to interfere with proper firing. Copper was also in demand for airplane, warship and artillery manufacture. It was therefore mandated that U.S. coinage would have to do without the orange metal while it was being re-deployed for more essential purposes.
The U.S. mint tried a number of alternative solutions to copper, including ceramics, plastic and various alloys, before congressional approval of the composition of the penny settled on a steel core with a zinc coating. The 1944 annual report of the U.S. mint indicates that the minting of steel-zinc pennies and nickels saved 3,194 tons of copper, 350 tons of nickel and 120 tons of zinc. This savings was estimated to be the combined need of two destroyers, 1,243 Flying Fortresses, 125 field guns, 120 howitzers, or enough for one and one-quarter million shells for our big field guns.
The coins were tolerated during the war, but were a source of confusion because they were often mistaken for dimes. In addition, the zinc would often unbond from its steel core, which would then quickly corrode. Shiny specimens that survive have probably been replated. Of further interest for coin collectors are the very few 1943 pennies that were minted on 1942 copper planchets. On the other hand, there were a few 1944 steel pennies minted as well, due, presumably, to some steel planchets left in the cent press hoppers from the year before, then mixed with the new 1944 copper planchets. These are exceptionally rare!
While it is generally known that the steel penny was only produced during 1943, most people don’t realize that pennies minted from 1944 to 1946 were made from spent shell casings. Their content was 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. They are known, appropriately, as “Shell Case Cents.” What goes around, comes around!
For the first 20 visitors to this cache there is an original 1943 steel penny awaiting you. The pennies are enclosed in small plastic bags that are numbered “1” through “20.” They are stapled together in four groups of five. First visitor to the cache should take “1,” second visitor “2,” etc.
Good luck, have fun—and don’t take any wooden, uh, nickels!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Onfr bs ovt gerr.
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