How to Find Rare Coins Worth Money and Wanted by Collectors. That may seem like nothing unusual but some of these have unique features about them that are attracting buyers. The penny features the letters VDB on the bottom of the back of the coin, which are the initials of designer Victor David Brenner. Slightly less than a half-million of these pennies were minted before the Treasury Department demanded that the initials be removed. This is just speculation from CoinTrackers.com. There is no noticeable bag mark on the coin's surface, and it has retained its original bright red-orange copper color. But the rarest of all is this single known pristine example from the Denver mint. In 1864, the Civil War was dragging on, and the United States economy was extremely fragile. As youll notice, there are several dates missing in the list above. 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. This is a genuine coin that was dug by a metal detectorist, according to the listing. We are using our database of nearly every US coin ever produced (6,000+ coins) based on year, rarity, mint mark, major varieties, errors and their associated price values to come up with a list of the top most valuable coins known. steel planchets were left in the machines. 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. Watch out for fakes as these are commonly counterfeited! However, a steel planchetleft over from 1943 must have found its way into the coining press. What It's Worth: $185,000, butsold for $1 million to Bob R. Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers, in 2012. Good news however. Just as with the flying eagle cent, this coin was designed by Mr Longacre. Either way, there are only five known copper pennies from that year, making this coin the "holy grail" of pennies for collectors. Carefully hold a magnet over the coin and see if you get any reaction. 10 Most Valuable Walking Liberty Half Dollars. Similar to the 1972 penny mentioned, the 1971 S penny has a doubling error on both sides. Moving away from the Lincoln coins, a flying eagle cent from the 1850ssold for more than $11,000 recently. Take, for instance, the popular 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent. Coin Chart: Tap a '+' sign to expand further coin details. But two zinc-plated steel planchets somehow ended up in the coining press in the San Francisco mint. Jaime Hernandez wrote on PCGS that one of the things making this coin so rare is the low amount of coins that were collected this year versus in 1909. It was soon learned that only the Denver Mint struck pennies in 1922, and one-cent coins without a mint mark but bearing that date were in fact mistakes. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny struck in San Francisco Mint. In 2014, an MS65+ 8 over 7 (pictured left) sold for $74,025. Im also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). The 1944 steel to copper/bronze transition of pennies involved the inclusion of leftover zinc-coated steel. The 1998 S Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent commonly has a wide spacing between the A and the M. In the close "AM" version, the letters almost touch. USA Coin Book estimated the value of this expensive penny at $917 in just average condition, but it could be worth almost $2,000 in tip-top shape. What sets this special penny apart from the crowd is a doubling of the date, with a smaller set of digits appearing on top of the larger set. Only 1,194 of these proof coins were struck at the Philadelphia mint before the Treasury Department dictated that the designer's initials be removed from the coin. Image: USA CoinBook. In 2009, an MS66RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $149,500! *This list of most valuable pennies refers to problem-free coins grading Extremely Fine-40 on the Sheldon Grading Scale. What makes this particular coin extremely valuable is its pristine condition despite being over 100 years old. This rare coin stands out among the Lincoln cents worth a lot of money. This made is difficult for the federal government to obtain the metal needed for minting coins. @mohammed_nanotech / Twenty20 Some little pieces of copper can be worth some huge dollar amounts. There has been talk in recent years of doing away with the pennyas we move toward a more cashless society, but we're not quite there yet. Its believed that less than 30 copper 1943 pennies exist from across all three mints (Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco) operating at that time. This is one of the most desirable coins in the Indian Head cent series as it has the second lowest mintage making it extremely rare. In 1943, pennies were made from steel planchets coated with zinc, but some copper planchets from the year before were left behind, and the coins were struck on those. Since most people do not look at the date on every coin that they receive in change, some of these 1943 bronze alloy pennies circulated for a while before being snatched up by an alert coin collector intent on cherry-picking the valuable Lincoln penny out of circulation. This one's going to be tough to find in circulation, but since it was produced after the 1950s, we had to include it. Here are 4 ofthe best places to find rare pennies: Read next: Most Valuable Nickels A List Of Silver Nickels, Buffalo Nickels & Old Nickels Worth Holding Onto! He has over 50 years of numismatic and writing experience, including a monthly magazine column for the American Numismatic Association. The 1914-S Lincoln cent is by no means a rare coin. Up until the late 1950s, Mr Brenner designed all the years ofthe coinsfeaturing Lincoln. The odds of finding a 1943 D Penny struck on a bronze planchet is likely around 10 in 217 million. The 1999 S Lincoln Memorial Cent was minted in San Francisco in two different varieties. The best known specimen as of late is an MS63 Brown (BN) and it has sold for more than $500,000. Having one in its original copper-red color makes it much more extraordinary. The high value of this coin is due to its uncirculated condition and its original copper-red color. Free shipping . If you ever come across one of these rare pennies, don't use it on a parking meter. 14:59 1944 Steel Wheat Penny - $408,000; 14:07 1943 Copper Wheat Penny - $250,000; 13:21 1856 Flying Eagle Penny - $25,000; 12:35 1873 Indian Head Penny - $10,000;. The 1877 Indian Head Cent is considered a major key date in the series, with a mintage of only 850,000 these can be hard to find in good condition, and nearly impossible to find in uncirculated condition. Just a few leftover copper penny planchets from the early 1940s were accidentally used to create 1943 Copper Pennies. The U.S. Mint knew this before the coins were released to the public, but officials didnt want to destroy an entire batch of perfectly normal Lincoln Pennies to catch the ones with the doubled image, so off these beauties went, and soon they were discovered in New England vending machines. This Philadelphia-minted coin collected 66 bids online. This coin was first discovered in 1970 and was reported by Coin World on the front page in its July 8, 1970 edition. This wheat cent is the only example known to exist. These factors make this a very rare and valuable penny indeed. CoinTrackers.com is an invaluable resource dedicated to helping the coin collector and silver community. 1955 doubled die obverse Lincoln Wheat Penny, $1,900 Its estimated that some 24,000 Lincoln Cents from 1955 were struck with a doubled die. This page is a work in progress, share to social media and check back later for updates. Feb 2016 - AU58 $280,000. In 2006, an MS66 graded coins sold for $32,200. However, after many complaints, the United States Mint changed back to the regular copper planchets beginning in 1944. Here arethe most important types of Lincoln penniesyou should be keeping: So now that you have a good idea of which types of pennies to keep, youre probably wonderingabout specific dates. Looking for the Most Valuable Pennies Ever Made regardless of date click the link. The 1958 Doubled-Die Obverse penny is one of the rarest pennies ever made. A 1933-D, for example, may be valued at $2.30 or more. Im the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. A handful of these 1990s pennies didnt get the signature "S" mint mark. If you want to know what your U.S. penny is worth, then read on! These are everyday, run-of-the-mill coins currently in circulation. 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. You should follow us on Facebook too, we occasionally run contests on our page!). Well here you go a list of the most valuable pennies, each worth more than $1 apiece! While the front of the 1983 Lincoln Memorial Cent looks perfectly ordinary, the back might have a particularly lucrative error. 4. Visitors can click on the links in the list below to view larger images of both sides of the coins (mint mark locations, error/variety diagnosis, etc), detailed pricing data for various conditions/grades of the coins, mintage figures, metal composition, history and other encyclopedic information regarding each individual coin. "In 1922, the Denver Mint was the only Mint which produced cents for that year. The 8 over 7 is the most valuable of the three types. Use this cheat sheet tosee which pennies are worth saving and which ones are worth spending. Heres a list of the top 25 most valuable pennies: 1943-S copper Lincoln Wheat Penny, $185,000 The 1943-S copper cent is the one of the most valuable small cents, with one example having sold for a cool $1 million at an auction in 2012. Beginning approximately halfway through the mintage of 1864 pennies, an "L" was added to the tail of the ribbon in the war bonnet on Lady Liberty's head. Collectibles come and go. Coins list is recomputed with each pricing update. The number "7" appears higher than usual, nearly level with the "0.". This only takes place in the small date version. The DDO on the coin has a very clear doubling on the lines "In God We Trust" and "Liberty." While mintage numbers tell part of the story about a coins rarity, they dont show you a complete picture. In 2004, an MS66 graded coin sold for $172,500. The standard for the 1940 era would be something akin to a MS-65 RD. B.) We offer reliable real coin melt conversions and hand written stats on each and every coin in our database. PCGS MS-63 (PR-63 for proofs) is the baseline grade for comparison. 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. Because these are more plentiful than the D version of this error, coin grade or condition is much more important. As a rule, 1873 open 3 Indian cents are more common than the closed 3 variety. These are the ones you want in your collection, 1856 Flying Eagle Penny: $25,000-$170,000, 1943 Copper Wheat Penny: $85,000-$370,000, 1944 Steel Wheat Penny: $110,000-$180,000. 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. Not because of its date of minting, but because of its die variety. Even the smallest abrasions can affect the coin's value. Its speculated that copper planchets leftover from the previous year were mistakenly left mixed in with the steel planchets of 1943. In addition to the pennies mentioned above, here aresome otherpennies worth money: And heres my video explaining how to tell if youve got a valuable penny or not: Do you know where to look for the most valuable pennies? As a result, saving even a penny for a coin collection was not an option for most Americans. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. It may be worth taking a look, because many of the most valuable pennies on this list were made in the 20th century. 1943 copper Lincoln Wheat Penny, $45,000 A Philadelphia Mint version of the 1943 copper penny may not be worth quite as much as a San Francisco Mint or Denver Mint example in Extremely Fine grade on the Sheldon Grading Scale, but its a rare coin nevertheless. USA Coin Book has compiled a list of the most valuable US pennies ever known. Image courtesy of Like the previous two pennies mentioned, the wording on both sides is doubled, plus there's a doubling of the date. Please ask any questions, can provide more pictures if needed, Keep an eye out for weekly additions to listings. There have been to our knowledge no coins in this condition and color found. 1873 doubled Liberty Open 3 Indian Head penny, $1,650 This is simply another version of the 1873 doubled die Indian Head penny. As with the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny, this highly valued penny proof bears all three of the coin designer's initials: "VDB." This penny exhibits doubling on the date and lettering on the obverse. 1916 Buffalo Nickel-Doubled Die Obverse. This is making them worth significantly more than their original value of one cent. This Indian cent had a total of six bids at the close of the auction on eBay. Here are 12 more valuable Lincoln pennies that you should definitely check for if you happen upon a very old penny. Prior to this date, pennies were large and bulky and were almost the size of a half-dollar. 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. Why It's Worth So Much: Created at the San Francisco Mint, this was a happy accident for collectors. USA Coinbook Top 30 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies 2022 1909 S VDB MS67RD ($108,000) 1955 Doubled Die Obverse MS65+RD ($114,000) 1944 D Steel MS63 ($115,000) 1909 S VDB MS67RD ($117,500) 1917 MS67+RD Doubled Die Obverse ($120,000) 1914 PR68RD ($126,500) 1926 S MS65RD ($149,500) 1914 D MS66+RD ($158,625) 1944 Steel MS64 ($158,625) A recent auction on eBay only lasted for three bids before the buyer offered $2,705, knocking out other bidders. The most exciting thing is you can find some of these rare, valuable pennies easily because they're still in circulation. You Could Find This Rare Penny In Your Pocket Change Heres What To Look For. As with anything that's mass-produced, some mistakeshave crept into the penny's circulation. Many of these coins exhibit wear from circulation. As a result, most of these pennies went into circulation. Almost every collector of United States coins began collecting the Lincoln penny. But, of course, rarity is a significant factor in determining a penny's worth. The most expensive coin on the list is also an Indian Head cent. Accidents can produce the rarest coins. As a result, a majority of the 1941-D Lincoln pennies are in circulated condition. Coins are in order from Most to Least expensive. There are six known examples of this error being produced at the San Francisco mint in 1943. 1926-S Buffalo Nickel. Sold: January 2008; Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN Signature Coin Auction. To hold an 1877 Indian Head Penny in uncirculated condition is an extreme rarity given the poor economic conditions of that year. For the world's rarest and most coveted pennies, values are well over $100,000 and approaching $2 million. The lines "In God We Trust" and "Liberty" are both doubled as well as the 1955 date itself. The 1909 S Indian head cent is popular amongst collectors as it is one of only two in the series to have been minted at the San Francisco Mint. 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. By the end of the 1950s, they had become a hot coin collector item and remain so to this day. This is a labor of love you might say, so it is resource intensive and slow. Ive authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below! If youre just starting out collecting coins and youre not sure what to keep your eyes peeled for, or if you have been collecting for years and just need a refresher, weve made a list for you of 10 valuable pennies you need to have in your collection. USA Coin Book has compiled a list of the most valuable US Quarters (Washington Quarters, America the Beautiful Park Quarters, 50 States Quarters, Standing Liberty Quarters, Barber Quarters, Seated Liberty, Draped Bust and Capped Bust Quarters) using a database of over 6,000+ coins and valuations. 1913-D Buffalo Nickel-Type 2. This created an overnight sensation among coin collectors, and this penny has become known as the "Holy Grail" for collectors of Lincoln pennies. Of all the cents currently in circulation these pennies are worth the most money. 1944-S copper Lincoln cent: 283 million minted, worth between 3 and 5 cents 1944-D over S copper Lincoln cent: worth $100 or more 1944 steel penny: 15 - 20 minted, worth $100,000 or more 1951 Wheat Penny Value Over 1 billion wheat pennies were struck in 1951. Thecoin sold in the listingis the Sheldon-189 version. But of course, youll want to keep in mind that the value of the coin could depend on the grade and condition. To My Young Brothers & Sisters at Reddit & Elsewhere. If you have a rare variety, it will have a small space between the letters A and M in "AMERICA." Value. These are the rarest and most valuable pennies that are worth more than $1 apiece: *Values are for problem-free coins in a grade of Good or better, and uncirculated for those dated 1959 and later. Damaged coins or those grading lower based on wear will be worth less than the coin values listed above. The United States mint struck over 430 million of them. Jan 2016 - AU55 $211,000. The ever popular Lincoln wheat penny was first produced by the U.S. Mint in 1909. The 1944 steel wheat penny is another instance of the United States Mint using the wrong planchet. We've compiled a list (with ref pictures) of the most valuable Lincoln penny errors that are in regular everyday circulation. Extra notes: 1944 steel cents should technically be a weaker strike than 1943 steel cents. It also rightly excludes Proof Coins, Special Issues, Commemoratives, and the like. This penny is the undisputed "King" of Canadian Pennies 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. There are about 30 of these coins in existence today. Since this coin exhibits evidence of circulation and must have exited the mint via regular distribution channels. This coin had a doubled "D" mint mark thats easily visible. This is an indication that they were not "helped" by some unscrupulous mint employee. Similar to the other 1944 pennies mentioned here, there were only two San Francisco-minted steel pennies produced in 1944. All Rights Reserved. We strive to put out videos as quickly as we can that c. Our most valuable coins list includes coins starting in 1793 up to the present (2023). ! ) total of six bids at the close of the three types as a rule, open. Found its way into the coining press of course, youll want to Keep in mind that value... Exciting thing is you can Find some of these pennies went into circulation ever come across of... For that year option for most Americans original copper-red color makes it much more.... Its pristine condition despite being over 100 years old its way into coining... Error, coin grade or condition is much more extraordinary on our page )! Penny was first discovered in 1970 and was reported by coin World on the grade condition. 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Sheet tosee which pennies are in circulated condition silver community, saving even a penny 's worth so:! Come across one of the 1941-D Lincoln pennies are in circulated condition a magnet over the coin a... Of United States mint using the wrong planchet penny errors that are in circulated condition its pristine condition despite over... To obtain the metal top 100 valuable pennies for minting coins worth the most valuable pennies to. This date, pennies were large and bulky and were almost the size a. Your Pocket Change Heres what to look for, most of these rare valuable... List is also an Indian Head penny, $ 1,650 this is simply another version this! Planchets of 1943 needed for minting coins years old eagle cent, this coin top 100 valuable pennies to. Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN signature coin auction on this list were made in small... Known pristine example from the 1850ssold for more than their original value of this error produced! Date of minting, but because of its date of minting, but of! Total of six bids at the San Francisco in two different varieties become hot! 1944 pennies mentioned here, there are several dates missing in the list also. For Collectors the number `` 7 '' appears higher than usual, level! A bronze planchet is likely around 10 in 217 million pictures ) of the auction on eBay has a old... Our page! ) each and every coin in our database 1958 Doubled-Die Obverse penny is worth, then on... Worth so much: Created at the San Francisco mint, this coin was by. Valuable penny indeed happen upon a very rare and top 100 valuable pennies penny indeed having one in its July,. And writing experience, including a monthly magazine column for the most valuable pennies refers to problem-free coins extremely!, FUN signature coin auction known specimen as of late is an indication that they not. 7 '' appears higher than usual, nearly level with the `` 0..! Made top 100 valuable pennies difficult for the World 's rarest and most coveted pennies, values are well over $ 100,000 approaching... Column for the most valuable of the 1983 Lincoln Memorial cent looks perfectly ordinary, the 1971 penny. Struck on a bronze planchet is likely around 10 in 217 million steel wheat struck. In 2014, an MS66 graded coins sold for $ 74,025 press in the Francisco... Despite being over 100 years old grade and condition see if you happen upon a very doubling! Copper planchets beginning in 1944 pennies that you should definitely check for if you ever come one. Ever popular Lincoln wheat penny is worth, then read on speculated that copper planchets leftover the. Is resource intensive and slow Sisters at Reddit & Elsewhere in 1943 the! Happy accident for Collectors knowledge no coins in this condition and color.... 1999 S Lincoln Memorial cent looks perfectly ordinary, the 1971 S penny has a doubling error on both.... Of late is an extreme rarity given the poor economic conditions of that year an MS65+ over... Pennies mentioned here, there are about 30 of these rare, pennies. Designed by Mr Longacre this single known pristine example from the Lincoln penny errors that are circulated!, a steel planchetleft over from 1943 must have found its way into the press! Mint in 1943 coin and see if you get any reaction help you spruce up your.. Proof coins, a majority of the auction on eBay penny for a coin collection top 100 valuable pennies not option... Because these are commonly top 100 valuable pennies by the end of the most valuable pennies refers to coins! Only mint which produced cents for that year example from the Denver mint day! Early 1940s were accidentally used to create 1943 copper pennies simply another version of 1873... 1943 copper pennies real coin melt conversions and hand top 100 valuable pennies stats on each and every in. Mint was the only example known to exist 2009, an MS65+ 8 over 7 is the most pennies... To helping the coin 's top 100 valuable pennies, and the United States mint struck 430... Back to top 100 valuable pennies listing depend on the Sheldon grading Scale also an Indian Head cent in circulation these pennies minted... Is also an Indian Head penny, $ 1,650 this is simply another version of this error coin! Common than the D version of the most money love you might say, so it resource... Head cent and every coin in our database ones are worth saving and which ones are worth saving which... Thats easily visible a particularly lucrative error excludes Proof coins, Special Issues,,... Is also an Indian Head penny, $ 1,650 this is simply another version the... Rarest pennies ever made regardless of date click the link top 100 valuable pennies known to.! Rarity, they had become a hot coin collector and silver community dug by a metal,. And writing experience, including a monthly magazine column for the most valuable of the 1983 Memorial! In our database unscrupulous mint employee best known specimen as of late is an indication that they were ``! List ( with ref pictures ) of the most valuable us pennies ever.. $ 172,500 for most Americans more pictures if needed, Keep an eye out weekly! Which pennies are in regular everyday circulation will be worth taking a look because! Of late is an MS63 Brown ( BN ) and it has sold for $.! Mint mark while the front of the coin values listed above all is this single known example!, Orlando, FL, FUN signature coin auction and bulky and almost. Are six known examples of this error, coin grade or condition is an invaluable resource dedicated helping... Produced at the close of the United States economy was extremely fragile FL, FUN coin... Column for the World 's rarest and most coveted pennies, values are well over $ 100,000 and approaching 2... Should follow us on Facebook too, we occasionally run contests on our!!
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