Of course, they're worth more if they're in better condition, and all circulating coins tend to have a lot of wear and tear. Condition is another; coins that stayed out of circulation may retain their original coloring and fine details, significantly adding to their value. The 1999 Wide AM penny is the exact opposite of the 1992 Close AM. Although there is some argument that mint workers actually struck these coins on bronze alloy planchets on purpose, it is more probable that a few bronze planchets left over from the previous year got stuck on a conveyor belt or tote and was incorporated into the regular striking process. These are the most valuable pennies in circulation.And they are worth a pretty penny if you find them. Why so few? One example circulated for a while before being picked up by a collector. Lincoln pennies minted from 1959 to 1982 are made of 95 percent copper and have about 2.5 cents worth of copper in them. "One-cent coins have been around since the beginning of the U.S. monetary system," Stone said. Pennies that are older typically hold more value. Our most valuable pennies list includes coins starting in 1856 up to the present (2023) - including rare penny errors and rare varieties that could still actually be found in pocket change. A penny's worth depends on its quality and rarity. If no evidence of wear is seen a coin grades in the mint state category. 1944-D Lincoln Penny on a Zinc-Coated Steel Planchet, Lincoln Wheat Penny Key Dates, Rarities and Varieties, 10 Rarest and Most Valuable Coins in the World, The 1943-S Copper Penny Found by Kenneth Wing, Lincoln Memorial Penny: Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties, Kennedy Half Dollar Values and Prices (1964-2015), Top 10 Most Valuable U.S. While Lincoln is still on the penny today, the wheat is long gone. Copper coins when first minted began as shades of bright red-orange-gold. This 1999 S penny looks almost identical to the last one on this list, except, you guessed it, the A and the M are closer together. The Lincoln cent (technically, only Great Britain officially has a denomination called the "penny") is a favorite among collectors young and old, rich and poor. 1969-S Doubled Die Penny. Small Pieces of Copper Worth Huge Amounts of Money. To be precise:Copper pennies made up until 1962had a 5% balance of tin and zinc, and from 1962 to 1982 the extra 5% of material was entirely zinc. Sold: January 2013; Stack's Bowers Galleries, Americana Auction. A quick look at the value chart shows a big change in how much your box of old pennies is worth. Before you leave remember to share this page with your friends on your favorite social media platform to help us grow. 1936 Dot Penny Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions Coming in at number 1 on this list of rare Canadian pennies is the renown 1936 "dot" penny. Coins Signature Auction. Sold: September 2010; Legend Numismatics, Private Sale. Sold: August 2008; Heritage Auctions, Baltimore, MD, ANA US Coin Signature Auction. While a circulating coin typically lasts 30 to 40 years, some lucky collectors have found pennies minted in the mid-1900s in their pocket change. This particular die gouge is highly visible running through the bisons back. Designed by sculptor A.A. Weinman, the new dime featured a portrait of Lady Liberty facing left and wearing a winged headpiece, which made her appear like the Roman god, Mercury. It is estimated that only 5 million of these coins were made, and very few of them were saved in uncirculated condition. 10 Most Valuable Walking Liberty Half Dollars. Sometimes more, sometimes fewer. Coin Values Moving with Precious Metals: Up-Dated 4/17/2023: Gold $2009 | Silver $25.38. Whatever the origin of the 1943 copper pennies, they are considered by the Professional Coin Grading Service to be the most desirable and valuable of all Mint errors and are highly sought-after by U.S. coin collectors. If you have any of the coins on this list or other coins worth money, you should always have them authenticated by a reputable coin dealer, like a member of the Professional Numismatists Guild, before trying to sell: In 1942 in an effort to save copper for ammunition in World War II the U.S. Mint began producing steel pennies for the first time in history. The 1943 bronze Lincoln cent attracted nearly 30 bids and sold for $204,000 in January, according to Heritage Auctions, the organization that conducted the sale. Whats the big deal about the copper pennies? The 1944 steel to copper/bronze transition of pennies involved the inclusion of leftover zinc-coated steel. The coppery color of modern-day pennies is merely a thin plating of copper on a 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper core. The low mintage alone makes this coin extremely rare, but the brilliant colors that resulted from a coin being stored for 100 years makes this coin extremely attractive to collectors. In honor of George Washingtons 200th birthday, the U.S. government held a competition to redesign the quarter. As a result, demand for United States coinage was at an all-time low, and families struggled to make ends meet. It is the most valuable Lincoln penny in the world. A 1933-D, for example, may be valued at $2.30 or more. The number "7" appears higher than usual, nearly level with the "0.". In the United States over 70 billion pennies have been minted in the last decade alone. The most exciting thing is you can find some of these rare, valuable pennies easily because they're still in circulation. Read on to find out what makes these 16 coins the most valuable U.S. pennies, based on over 250,000 public records and auction sales figures. "I've found one myself.". Take, for instance, the popular 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent. Most Valuable Canadian Pennies 1. There are estimated to be about 15-20,000 of these pennies still in existence, though there are many counterfeits on the market. This is an indication that they were not "helped" by some unscrupulous mint employee. Without further ado, my Top 10 Rare Canadian Pennies! While it is uncirculated and retains its original copper-red color from the day it was minted, the date and mintmark combination sets this coin apart from all others. Dont even think about trying to sneak a few copper pennies over to the scrap yard. The 1999 S Lincoln Memorial Cent was minted in San Francisco in two different varieties. When coins are being pressed, lubricant is used on the machine to reduce friction between parts. Lutes owned the coin until his death in 2018. Your email address will not be published. Bottom line: OK, we'll admit it. You never know, one of your pennies could be worth the price of a nice dinner or a whole lot more. Most Valuable Quarters: A List Of Silver Quarters & Other Rare Quarters You Should Hold Onto! A penny's worth depends on its quality and rarity. James Bucki is a nationally-recognized coin collector and numismatic expert and author, sharing his knowledge and specialized training in coin grading, minting errors, and collection techniques. Minted 1793 to 1857; value charts list date and condition ranges of values. In 1864, the Civil War was dragging on, and the United States economy was extremely fragile. That said, we realize that some people might still be using these pennies to buy things without realizing their value. Of course, pocket change still yields plenty of copper cents. Four are within the Lincoln cent series, different mints and sub-varieties. To be precise: Copper pennies made up until 1962 had a 5% balance . This penny is the rarest date of all the Indian Head pennies ever minted. At a glance, these coins read In God We Rust, but you may be able to see a faint T on some coins if you look for it. Like this story? Sometimes called "Lincoln Cents" (without mentioning the Memorial as described below,) they are made of almost pure copper (95%) except for one year, the 1943 penny, which is made of zinc-plated steel. "A nice circulated example, like Lutes' coin, could sell for around $150,000 to $200,000. What years of pennies are worth money? In fact, in 2019, a 1943 bronze Lincoln cent sold at auction for $204,000, and in 2015, a Birch cent, one of America's first pennies, was bought for $2.6 million dollars. Some of these cents can become extremely valuable for coin collectors, like the first place on our list that reaches $100,000! The story behind copper 1943 Lincoln Pennies is presumed to be a pure accident at the U.S. Mint perhaps a few leftover copper planchets from 1942 were stuck in the coining press system and struck with 1943 penny dies. Recommendations on basic supplies that greatly improve coin storage. A 1931-S could be worth $40 or more. At Coin Values, we are always staying on top of the latest changes in coin prices, and we have a list of the top 25 most valuable pennies. However, some Lincoln cents have more than a penny's worth of copper in them, but it is illegal to melt them. The second coin was a silver version of the same coin, but with a proof finished - which means it has been struck multiple times and hand polished for a mirror-like, blemish-free finish. With this many coins in circulation even the most knowledgeable of collectors needs a tool to help them sort through their coins. The wheat penny was first minted in 1909, and it was the first coin in wide circulation to feature a U.S. president. "The few bronze coins that were struck went unnoticed and got released into circulation.". To hold an 1877 Indian Head Penny in uncirculated condition is an extreme rarity given the poor economic conditions of that year. 1944 Steel Lincoln Wheat Penny, $125,000 Its believed that a similar story behind the creation of the 1943 copper cent is also what led to minting of the 1944 steel penny; blank steel cent planchets from 1943 that were hiding away in the coining presses wound up getting stamped with the 1944 dies, and the result is a rarity that financially well-heeled coin collectors will pay hundreds of thousands to buy. After all, over 4 million of them minted at the San Francisco mint. Though you're less likely to come across these highly prized pennies in your pocket change, the following are the most valuable Lincoln, Indian-Head, and Wheat Penny cents, as well as the most expensive pennies of all time. Ive written extensively about the values of Lincoln wheat pennies and invite you check out a few of these articles: Heres how to tell what a penny is made of whether its a copper penny or a copper-plated zinc penny. However, when the die used to stamp each penny became overused, this led to a batch of coins with either a very weak "D" marking or some in which the "D" was nonexistent. I, on the other hand, am simply holding onto my copper pennies with no particular plans except to perhaps search them someday for varieties, errors, and other interesting numismatic aberrations. That means about 20% of the pennies passing through my hands in those rolls were copper ones. Half Cent Values | All Half Cents are Rare. Flying Eagle pennies, a short running series range in worth and desirability depending on date and condition. When the right coin is available and is needed for their collection, none hesitate to pay. Sold: January 2004; Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN Signature Auction. In commemoration of the bicentennials of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition, the U.S. Mint resurrected the bison design as part of the four-coin Westward Journey Nickel Series. Some would debate whether or not copper pennies are worth their weight as scrap metal, but their intrinsic copper value is nevertheless higher thanthe face value of the denomination itself making it worthwhile to check your change and hold aside all pre-1982 pennies. A very popular and recognizable coin; from beginner to advanced collectors, all enjoy the collecting of Indian Head pennies. Many people who hoard copper coinsthese days are simply waiting for thepenny melting laws to change, which may happen someday. There are about 45,000 of these coins in existence. Separate your old wheat pennies into the main value groups - different decades, mintmarks, rare dates and importantly condition. Penny values span a wide range. There are a lot of coins worth money some that have sold for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. So far, this article has been mainly centered around looking for copper Lincoln Memorial cents which were minted from 1959 through 1982. In 1909, The United States Mint replaced the Indian Head penny with the Lincoln cent. In 1916, a new dime design replaced the Barber design coin that had been used since 1982. Coins on this list of most expensive pennies were minted as early as 1793. The 1969-S doubled die penny value is about the highest of any Lincoln Memorial cent known to collectors at this time: 1969-S doubled die pennies are worth about $25,000 and up! Do you have any of these coins in your penny jar? Early date Lincoln pennies and higher condition coins are on the move. However, what is known for sure is that the 1922 no-D penny is quite scarce and in high demand among coin collectors. For example, many of the doubled die entries on the list above (such as the 1971, 1972, 1983, and 1984 doubled die Lincoln cents) are much scarcer in number than the 1877 Indian Head cent or 1914-D Lincoln cent, but are not as widely collected, thus the values of those somewhat more obscure coins are lower. 2. Minted in Denver, USA Coin Book estimated the value of this rare 1914 penny at $278 in average condition and over $3,000 in uncirculated mint condition. There are two different varieties one with a leaf that appears lower on the corn (more common), and one with a leaf that appears higher. The doubling on the 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse is especially prominent in the words "LIBERTY" and "IN GOD WE TRUST," he said. Required fields are marked *. As a collector, you eventually reach the point where you need to purchase your coins from a coin dealer or at auction to achieve the quality you want. 1856 through 1858 cents stand out as sought-after collector coins because of the bold flying eagle design. Auction record: $4,560,000 Stack's Bowers. $46. Remember, a substantial fraction of the coins that were once minted no longer survive today, as many have been lost, melted, or damaged beyond recognition. It is believed that only a handful of them exist so if you happen to find one, count yourself lucky. Of all the cents currently in circulation these pennies are worth the most money. to the coin's reverse, at the bottom between the two stalks of wheat. All Wheat Pennies are worth at least three times face value, but of course many are worth substantially more especially the key date Wheat pennies. If you get caught scrapping pennies, you could end up paying $10,000 in fines and spend 5 years in the slammer prison, that is. If you have gold coins or silver coins that arent a collectors item, we recommend selling to top online metals buyer CashforGoldUSA or its sister site CashforSilverUSA. The 1955 Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Penny is one of the most famous examples of design doubling on coinage. Get Make It newsletters delivered to your inbox, Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It, 2023 CNBC LLC. Nearly all of the 1943 Lincoln Wheat Cent produced are steel cents, but there were some that used copper planchets in addition to the steel. Once again, the mint erroneously used a proof die to strike normal circulation coins. In 2005, a collector discovered that some of these Sacagawea Cheerios Dollars had detailed veins in the eagles' tail feathers. Most major and minor design features are now a flat surface. So What Pennies Are Worth Money? But due to a mix-up, a proof die was used for the reverse of the coin before it was supposed to be used starting in 1993. 7 Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Collecting & What Theyre Worth, Lincoln Semi-Key Coins Versus Key Coins And Their Values, Most Valuable Pennies: A List Of The 43 U.S. Pennies Worth Holding Onto, Double Your Money Selling Copper Pennies By The Pound, 5 Money-Saving Tips For Collecting Lincoln Pennies. 2004-D Wisconsin Extra Leaf Quarters have extra husks on the left side of the corn stamped onto the coin. The 1969-S doubled die penny is among the most valuable Lincoln Memorial pennies, which were minted from 1959 through 2008. As a result, a majority of the 1941-D Lincoln pennies are in circulated condition. 1931-S Wheat Penny Value: $70-$150 Auction Record: $18,600 Shop 1931-S Wheat Cents on eBay.com The 1931 S Lincoln Wheat Penny is a key date in the series, with only 866,000 coins minted. Estimated coin prices and values in our database are updated twice per year. Record Price. Last year, one sold for $35,000, according to Coin World, a popular news and analysis website for collectors. Auction record: $10,200 Heritage Auctions. Professional Coin Grading Serviceoffers a coin price guide where you can search for the current value of collectible coins. The closed 3 is especially rare because only a tad more than 1 million 1873 cents of this variety were made, whereas about 11 million open 3 cents were made. These newer, zinc-based Lincoln cents are often called Zincolnsand are widely available in circulation today. Brenner added his initials V.D.B. What follows are the 11 through 25th most valuable pennies: 1917 doubled die Lincoln Wheat Penny, $1,350 1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat Penny, $1,025 1869/9 Indian Head penny, $865 1858/7 Flying Eagle penny, $760 1914-D Lincoln Wheat Penny, $760 1909-S Indian Head penny, $750 1872 Indian Head penny, $625 1869 Indian Head penny, $450 To have all three initials ona coin's design was unheard of. Wheat pennies begin at 2 cents to highs found with early colonial large cents valued in the thousands. For 2008, the U.S. Mint decided to modify the reverse design of Silver Eagle coins. But the move needed Congressional approval, so the mint produced a batch of about 800 of the new pennies and presented them to the lawmakers. As a rule, 1873 open 3 Indian cents are more common than the closed 3 variety. Approximately 8,000 to 10,000 coins were reportedly found in Sandusky, Ohio, where they were handed out at Cedar Point Amusement Park as change. If you are investing money in rare pennies, buy coins that are in the best condition you can afford, and always focus on purchasing coins that display original color and are in nice shape overall. Special qualities are examined and highlighted within each series. Its possible these coins may be hiding in the basement, inside an attic box, or even inside your penny jar. Condition is one of the subtle steps affecting penny values. A case for needed reform . 1914-S Lincoln Penny 1944-D Lincoln Penny (Zinc-coated steel) 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny 1872 Indian Head Penny 1969-S Lincoln Penny-Doubled Die Obverse 1926-S Lincoln Penny 1877 Indian Head Penny However, during the transition period between 1942 and 1943, there were a number of leftover copper planchets (the plain metal discs used to make coins) that were accidentally struck with 1943 dates. Whats the easiest way to search for copper pennies? Its believed that less than 30 copper 1943 pennies exist from across all three mints (Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco) operating at that time. So, thats why I turn to coin roll searching. Most uncirculated 1980 pennies are worth 10 to 30 cents apiece. Others are worth their weight in gold or silver. Want to know what year of pennies are worth money or just what penny variety to look for? Another double-died error can be found on the 1984 Lincoln Memorial Cent. Coin. What makes this particular coin extremely valuable is its pristine condition despite being over 100 years old. These newer, zinc-based Lincoln cents are often called Zincolns and are widely available in circulation today. As of this writing, theyre worth 2 to 3 cents each due to their copper value. In addition to the doubling of wording, the date and "S" mint mark are also doubled. The purpose of this page is to provide coin valuation data to collectors, investors, the media, and anyone interested learning what the most valuable pennies and one cent coins are.