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| Due to the shortage of copper during World War II, the pennies were made of zinc-plated steel in 1943. When they were new, they were nice and shiny like the one on the left. They were immediately mistaken for dimes. When they were a few years old they became tarnished like the one on the right, but it was too late, they were already unpopular! Copper pennies were resumed in 1944. This is a lesson the mint seems to forget every now and then: don't fool with the size and composition of the coins! |
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