RePlated 43-S?

[Madwest]

This steel wheat has suspicious shine and the areas of wear do not seem to have exposed steel. It doesn't seem cleaned. I think it was re-plated at some point.

It is the 7th '43 I've found (first 'S' mint). None of the others have the "fresh" shine.

[henrysmedford]

From---How Much is the 1943 Chrome-Plated Penny Worth?

The source of the chrome 1943 cents is that one or more major coin dealers decided to profit from this entire situation sometime in early 1960's. Because even many of the Mint State 1943 pennies had by then lost their shiny zinc finish (due to the exposure of the edges, which began the corrosion process,) there were an abundance of Mint State steel pennies around that were high grade Uncirculated, but that looked like crap. These enterprising coin dealers "restored" them by plating them in chrome and other similar-looking substances, making them look all shiny and new again, and then sold them in sets of one from each Mint.

[henrysmedford]

Also you can buy a set here. https://www.littletoncoin.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=37968&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1

[scyther]

The one I found a while ago isn't shiny, but it does look surprisingly good and rust-free. I wonder the same thing about mine...

[Madwest]

That explains it. Someone dumped a "restored" or "reprocessed" steel wheat. Obviously not worth anything, yet fun to find - fun to me anyway. It's hard to explain, I like finding odd-ball stuff even if it ain't worth noth'n.