I have found a completely normal penny except one itty bitty thing- The copper has worn slightly and it reveals steel. Any price for a steel penny?

If this is a 1943 penny it's worth about 70 cents. The steel wheat cents were struck in 1943 during WWII due to the demand for copper for the war industry.

What year is it? To be worth anything the penny (or any coin for that matter) must be in uncirculated mint condition.

When I was about 16 (that's a bazillion years ago btw) for fun I would get rolls of quarters, half dollars, nickles, dimes, at the bank and go through them and put them into the cardboard coinholder sleves. After knocking myself out for about a year I discovered that the only coins worth anything were the ones that were in mint, uncirculated condition. Usually by the time any coin gets into general circulation it is worn and loses considerable collectible value.

Try looking online at current coin prices for pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters and half dollars. You will see that the only coins worth anything are in the VF or VVF category meaning they are mint proofs and never circulated.

1981 is its date by the way.

1981 is probably worth 5 cents.

COINER106 - The 1981 penny you have is worth only (.20 )in the 2010 coin book; thart is for the {MS-65};;
NOTE _Watch for the 1981 S penny, One has a filled { S } and the other has a {CLEAR
{S } THE fillerd one is worth in proof _MS65 is $3.00 THE OTHER is worth {Ms-65 -proof $ 50.00;; Go to the liberty and look at a coin book ;;Have a great day and GOD BLESS:: F.B.E.