1 Cent Pattern

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.