There are six known examples of this error being produced at the San Francisco mint in 1943. Value: $50,000 to $70,000+ There are few Lincoln Memorial pennies more rare or valuable than the 1969-S doubled die. 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. On one side, "In God We Trust" is doubled, and "Liberty" is doubled on the other. Regardless of how they got out of the mint, these exceedingly rare die variety Lincoln cents would be prized by any 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. If you happen to have a copper-colored penny with a 1943 date stamp, hold it up to a magnet. Additionally, it has been sufficiently well preserved to retain its original bright red-copper color. Keep reading to learn which pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and other coins are worth a lot of money if youre lucky enough to have them in your possession. Additional video helps to identify many subtle points to grading coins. 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. 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. This act required the U.S. government to purchase large quantities of silver and turn them into silver dollars, which were called Morgan Dollars after their designer, George T. Morgan. Most of them pulled the coins out of circulation. Visit the series page for value charts and details on how to value your old penny. Be sure to check your change for this one! The most elusive of these coins was owned by George Walton, the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Most pennies are worth 1 cent, but to coin collectors, some are worth more than their weight in gold. The Half Dollar coin had silver in it until 1970. In this case, the wide "AM" version is just as sought after as the close "AM" version. Some pennies, originally worth a single cent, are now worth thousands of dollars. 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. While mintage numbers tell part of the story about a coins rarity, they dont show you a complete picture. 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. Here's a rundown of 10 of the most expensive pennies made since 1900: 1. OK, we'll admit it. Within the different series of copper US coinage are certain qualities setting one coin apart from others. That makes them much easier to find than the 1969 Doubled Die coins. Easily sort and value your coins, an important step in preparing for selling and finding coin buyers. The coppery color of modern-day pennies is merely a thin plating of copper on a 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper core. Note: Images within blue borders are Links to the Penny Values series. Step 1 above are image links to match your coin. These are auction records for the rarest Mercury Dime series: 1921-D: $23,500 Legend Rare Coin Auctions. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. 1. While most pennies are only worth a few bucks, highly coveted ones might be sitting in your pocket or stuck somewhere in your couch. This penny was minted in Philadelphia, and letters on both side of the coin make it one of the rarest pennies you can find today. Your email address will not be published. Bottom line: The 1955 Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Penny is one of the most famous examples of design doubling on coinage. Notice that those mintage numbers for the business-strike S-mint Lincoln pennies are in the millions, not billions like most Philadelphia and Denver pennies from that era. Series are identified along with dates and mintmarks. "The few bronze coins that were struck went unnoticed and got released into circulation.". Today, the 1943 bronze Lincoln cent is described as "the most famous error coin in American numismatics" and the odds of finding one are astronomically against. Heres the short answer the one you probably dont want to hear: NO! As of this writing, anyway. What makes this coin extremely valuable is the fact that it was struck on a zinc-coated steel planchet. The 1958 Doubled-Die Obverse penny is one of the rarest pennies ever made. Wheat pennies begin at 2 cents to highs found with early colonial large cents valued in the thousands. You do the same comparing to images of the different grades and matching your coin. Many early era copper coins in a pleasing Fine grade are very collectible and valued. The lines "In God We Trust" and "Liberty" are both doubled as well as the 1955 date itself. The full backside of the coin is doubled. Subscribe to CNBC Make It on YouTube! Collectors now have another variety as part of collections. Sold: August 2007; Heritage Auctions, Milwaukee, WI, ANA Signature Coin Auction. Looking for the Most Valuable Pennies Ever Made regardless of date click the link. If no evidence of wear is seen a coin grades in the mint state category. Good Grade: Heavy wear and a lack of remaining design is typical of a penny in Good grade. In my 3 to 5 weekly cash transactions involving 2 to 4 pennies, I probably find between 2 and 5 copper pennies each week. Real Helpful. The first coin was an uncirculated C mintmark coin that had an RRP of $15 and a mintage of 80,000. Older copper pennies are 95% copper and 5% something else. How often have you found an S mint Lincoln Memorial copper penny in pocket change? 1971 Kennedy Half Dollar. In both the words "Liberty" and "In God We," the letters are doubled. Record Price. The 1955 Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Penny is one of the most famous examples of design doubling on coinage. But two zinc-plated steel planchets somehow ended up in the coining press in the San Francisco mint. Almost every collector of United States coins began collecting the Lincoln penny. Get Make It newsletters delivered to your inbox, Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It, 2023 CNBC LLC. 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. !To check out o. The finest known 1792 Birch cent sold at a Heritage auction in 2015 for nearly $2.6 million, making it the most ever paid for a one-cent piece at auction, he said. If it sticks, it's not copper. 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. It turns out that not every penny is worth just one cent - some could actually be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Such a clean example of doubling has made it one of the most popular and valuable DDOs in existence. A short series, serving a specific demand at the time, minted 1864 to 1873. There are estimated to be about 15-20,000 of these pennies still in existence, though there are many counterfeits on the market. To this day, they are the only two known to exist. That said, we realize that some people might still be using these pennies to buy things without realizing their value. 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 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. CashforGoldUSA is our top choice for selling coins for scrap because: Get money for your coins today with CashforGoldUSA >>. There are a lot of coins worth money some that have sold for hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. 2010 - 2023 USA Coin Book. They also offer professional coin grading. There are believed to only be about 20 of these rare coins in the world. Also called the 1982 No P Dime, these dimes were the first and only U.S. business strike coin (a coin intended for circulation) that accidentally left the U.S. Mint without being stamped with their designated mint mark. Some series are more valuable than others. Whats the big deal about the copper pennies? Brenner added his initials V.D.B. 1983 P Washington Quarter. Grading is judging the surfaces and identifying the amount of wear or lack of wear. 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. Because of their uniqueness, theyre remarkably valuable. Comparing the coins in the image; nicely toned, circulated examples project pleasing eye appeal. But steel pennies are a topic for another article. We look at 10 super rare pennies worth money. Providing for safe handling, preserving of value and organizing your box of old coins. Auction record: $4,560,000 Stack's Bowers. Until then Philadelphia produced all cent and two cent denominations. Not because of its date of minting, but because of its die variety. Read more in our privacy policy. Search and sort using the search box and form below. In 1856, the price of copper rose to the point that it took more than a penny's worth of copper to make a penny. While the The Coinage Act of 1873 demonetized silver, putting an end to silver dollar production, the Bland-Allison Act was passed in 1878 in response to poor economic conditions at the time. Another element that identifies this rare penny is the spacing between the "FG" initials and the Lincoln Memorial Building. Out of all the leftover zinc-coated steel used in minting these pennies, Philadelphia produced about 30 of them. All Lincoln wheat pennies are worth a minimum of 3 to 5 cents each, though many are worth more. Here's a quick recap of the most valuable coins in the United States: U.S. Look our for these pennies worth good money. A 1933-D, for example, may be valued at $2.30 or more. What year steel pennies are worth money? For instance, Denver only minted seven of the 1944 steel pennies, making it the second rarest mint mark out of all three mints. Dont even think about trying to sneak a few copper pennies over to the scrap yard. By the end of the 1950s, they had become a hot coin collector item and remain so to this day. "I know a couple of people who have found these in their pocket change.". If you want to sell your collectible coins for the most money, Winter recommends finding a large national dealer or a reputable local dealer who is a member of the Professional Numismatic Guild. In the close "AM" variety, the "FG" is closer to the building. Victor David Brenner created the design under the auspices of President Theodore Roosevelt. The doubling occurs from mistakes in the minting process, James Bucki, a coin expert at The Spruce Crafts, explained to CNBC Make It. While 484,000 were struck, several population estimates suggest only 50,000 to 100,000 may still exist a fairly large number indeed, but much lower than mintage numbers suggest. Preparing and selling wheat pennies for the best value is possible. Due to its value, some counterfeits were created with steel cores. This coin was heavily circulated and was commonly subjected to the widespread use of "penny boards" in the 1930s and 40s, which people use to collect coins from circulation. Similar to the 1972 penny mentioned, the 1971 S penny has a doubling error on both sides. A close examination of Lincoln's ear shows a definitive double stamp. Most of these coins were discovered in bank wrapped rolls in the Tucson and San Antonio areas. In the coin-making process, a working hub is a metal punch that looks like the surface of the coin. A coin in good condition could go for about $75,000. One sold at a Heritage sale in 2012 for more than $20,000, according to Coin World. However, the flat spots do not connect, separation of high areas remain. These old pennies are getting harder to find as more and more people are looking for copper pennies and are removing them from circulation. When an example as fine as this one crosses the auction block, it is certain to set record prices. Along with the S mint Lincoln Memorial cents, there are several other interesting and valuable pieces to search for. Confirm your coin as a half cent by denomination on reverse. 1980-D Penny Value You should definitely keep your eyes out for one of these! 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. It looks like you're seeing double," said Bucki. 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. You Could Find This Rare Penny In Your Pocket Change Heres What To Look For, 1968-S, 261,311,510 business strikes minted, 1960-D/D Small Date Over Large Date, $100. On April 25, 2013, a coin owned by Walton family heirs once believed to be fake was authenticated as the real fifth coin. Of all the cents currently in circulation these pennies are worth the most money. Morgan Dollars were produced from 1878-1904, then again in 1921. So What Pennies Are Worth Money? If a 1999 penny has a large space between the A and the M, and it's in amazing condition, odds are good it's one of the most valuable pennies still in circulation. From Cents to Gold. The Red Book, A Guide Book of United States Coins 2022 75th Edition, Pittsburgh Magazine's '40 Under 40 Honorees', Doubling to the Southwest on all four digits on the date, IN GOD WE TRUST on the other side doubled toward the East, D: Dahlonega Mint (coins from 1861 and earlier Denver didnt open until 1906), 1969-S Lincoln Cent With a Doubled Die Obverse, $54,625, 2004-D Wisconsin State Quarter with an Extra Leaf, $6,000, 1970-S Large Date Lincoln Cent With a Doubled Die Obverse, $3,675, 1972 Lincoln Cent With a Doubled Die Obverse, $1,150, 1999 Wide AM Reverse Lincoln Cent, $250, 10% bonus if you send in your item within 7 days. You're likely to be offered a small fraction of what they're worth.. 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