Editing 1943 steel cent (section)

==== Counterfeits ====

Many people have counterfeited the coin by either copper-plating normal 1943 cents (sometimes as novelties with no intent to defraud), or altering cents from the period, usually 1945, 1948, or 1949-dated coins.

The copper cents differ from their steel counterparts in four ways:<ref name="Metras" />
* Genuine 1943 copper cents will not be attracted to a magnet. Copper-plated steel cents will exhibit a strong magnetic attraction.
* Copper cents weigh 3.11&nbsp;grams. Steel cents weigh 2.702&nbsp;grams.
* The numeral 3 in 1943 has the same long tail as the steel cents. Alterations from later-dated copper cents will be noticeable when compared side by side with genuine cents with years ending in 3.
* The quality of the strike is exceptionally sharp, especially around the rim, because the soft copper planchets were struck with the same (higher) pressure used for the steel cents.