1943-D Lincoln Cent World War II Steel Penny High Grade Coin in Slab Style Case (BU) Brilliant Uncirculated This is the only Year that Penny coins were minted with Steels Minted Year: 1943-D Quantity: 1 coin with coin snap holder The 1943 steel cent, also known as a steel war penny or steelie, was a variety of the U.S. one-cent coin which was struck in steel due to wartime shortages of copper. It used the same design that Victor David Brenner had made in 1909 for the copper Lincoln cent.