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1 Cent Pattern
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1944 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Cent (0.01 USD) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central field bears the denomination ONE CENT in large raised letters, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in two lines below. Two stylized wheat ears, their stalks meeting at the base and their heads curving outward toward the rim, frame the central inscriptions on either side. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM arcs along the upper periphery between the wheat ear tips. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
By 1944, the zinc-coated steel cent introduced the previous year had proven deeply unpopular — it rusted, it stuck to magnets and confused vending machines, and it was frequently mistaken for a dime. The Treasury began exploring alternatives, and this nickel brass composition was among several tested that year before the decision was made to simply return to the pre-war bronze alloy by reclaiming spent shell casings from munitions plants.
The shell-case bronze cent won out on logistics as much as metallurgy. This pattern never advanced beyond trial strikes.