The Lincoln Cent Part 3 The Many Changes No real changes occurred in the cent from 1918 through 1942. In 1943, the cent would again see a dramatic change although not to its design, but rather due to shortages of copper caused by the war. At the time of World War II, the one-cent coin was composed of 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc http://49000.kr/shop/list.php?ca_id=20