PURPOSE: To minimize the reduction of the coercive force of a semihard magnetic material obtd. by cold working an Fe-Cu-Mo alloy and to improve remarkably the square hysteresis curve by heat treating the magnetic material under specified conditions and carrying out mechanical leveling and working to a prescribed shape.

CONSTITUTION: An Fe-Cu-Mo alloy contg. 3W25% Cu and 0.5W5% Mo is melted and cast to form an ingot. This ingot is hot forged at 850W1,000°C, hot rolled to a wire rod, and annealed at 700W900°C. The wire rod is cold drawn to a prescribed diameter, heat treated at 350W550°C, and straightened by mechanical leveling to manufacture a semihard magnetic wire rod. This semihard magnetic material made of said Fe-Cu-Mo alloy minimizes the reduction of the coercive force, increases the residual magnetic flux density in the working direction and the squareness ratio, and has an improved square hysteresis curve.