While there are very few guarantees in the rare coin industry, you can always count on nice, problem-free coins yielding better returns on your investment than coins that have been cleaned or have nicks, dents, scratches, and holes. What makes this coin extremely valuable is the fact that it was struck on a zinc-coated steel planchet. Stay up to date with everything about U.S Coins, We dont spam! As a result, demand for United States coinage was at an all-time low, and families struggled to make ends meet. Consequently, all 1922 cents should bare the D mint mark," wrote Mr Hernandez. Just a few leftover copper penny planchets from the early 1940s were accidentally used to create 1943 Copper Pennies. Sold: August 2017; Heritage Auctions, Denver, CO, ANA U.S. Most ammunition consists of a copper or brass (copper/zinc) casing, filled with gunpowder, and capped with a lead, copper or steel bullet. The close "AM" version is the more valuable penny of the two. If you want this coin be prepared to shell out $1.2 million as that is the current asking price. The 1955 Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Penny is one of the most famous examples of design doubling on coinage. 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. In 2021, an MS65 RB graded coin (pictured left) sold for $66,000. Sold: February 2016; Heritage Auctions, Long Beach, CA, US Coins Signature Auction. 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. Experts claim that plates of this metal were slipped in during the minting by . If you ever come across one of these rare pennies, don't use it on a parking meter. Designed by portraitist James Barton Longacre in 1856, the circulated coin features an eagle on one side, with one cent shown on the other. 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. 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. And its so valuable not only because of the controversy surrounding it but its low mintage too - just 484,000 of these coins have been minted. *All of the coin values listed from 1958 or earlier and 1959 to 2000 came from USA Coin Book, unless otherwise noted. These were minted in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco, as well as in proof sets. These coins look like an ordinary penny despite the fact the color is not copper and is much closer to the coloring of a dime. There are about 30 of these coins in existence today. The 1958 Doubled-Die Obverse penny is one of the rarest pennies ever made. 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. Some pennies, originally worth a single cent, are now worth thousands of dollars. These factors make this a very rare and valuable penny indeed. In 2006, an MS67RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $97,750. He later sold it for$126,500. Real People. This example is not only uncirculated, but it is extremely well preserved and shows a minimal amount of bag marks from the minting process. It also rightly excludes Proof Coins, Special Issues, Commemoratives, and the like. By the end of the 1950s, they had become a hot coin collector item and remain so to this day. One example circulated for a while before being picked up by a collector. 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. Only nine other Lincoln wheat pennies have a lower mintage. Share to help us grow 2019 Penny Value Guide: Some 2019 Pennies Are Worth $3,600 Apiece! YOU'VE likely come across plenty of pennies in your life but rare ones from the 1900s and before then are selling for a ton of cash online. This post may contain affiliate links. A handful of these 1990s pennies didnt get the signature "S" mint mark. 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. There have been to our knowledge no coins in this condition and color found. The 1944 steel wheat penny is another instance of the United States Mint using the wrong planchet. Do you have any of these coins in your penny jar? Why It's Worth So Much: Created at the San Francisco Mint, this was a happy accident for collectors. Sold: March 2014; Heritage Auctions, Atlanta, GA, ANA National Money Show US Coins Signature Auction. Coins are in order from Most to Least expensive. While a circulating coin typically lasts 30 to 40 years, some lucky collectors have found pennies minted in the mid 1900s . The full backside of the coin is doubled. 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. We are using our database of virtually every US coin ever produced (6,000+ coins) based on year, mint mark, major varieties, errors and their associated price values to come up with a list of the top most valuable pennies known. Get ready its a long list! The 1944 steel to copper/bronze transition of pennies involved the inclusion of leftover zinc-coated steel. We have discounted proof coins, error coins, as well as any special strikes, to create a clean list of pennies you have a higher probability of finding from the current pool of circulating United States currency. "However, since the Denver Mint was under extreme pressure to produce cents for that year, there was a lot of sloppiness in the production process.". 25 Most Valuable Silver Dollars 25 Most Valuable Half Dollars 25 Most Valuable Quarters 25 Most Valuable Dimes 25 Most Valuable Nickels 25 Most Valuable Pennies 10 Most Valuable Morgan Silver Dollars 10 Most Valuable Peace Dollars 10 Most Valuable Barber Half Dollars 10 Most Valuable Walking Liberty Half Dollars The TOP 25 Most Valuable Pennies. Source: PGCS.com. While mintage numbers tell part of the story about a coins rarity, they dont show you a complete picture. The majority of these coins are Denver and Philadelphia issue coins, and all have been issued within the last 55 years. CoinTrackers.com is an invaluable resource dedicated to helping the coin collector and silver community. 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. This is a labor of love you might say, so it is resource intensive and slow. The Secret Service confiscated the early specimens until the U.S. Mint admitted they were genuine. In addition to the doubling of wording, the date and "S" mint mark are also doubled. Image: USA CoinBook. To My Young Brothers & Sisters at Reddit & Elsewhere. The bins of steel planchets were fed into machines and the handful of left over copper planchets overlooked. As with the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny, this highly valued penny proof bears all three of the coin designer's initials: "VDB." The list below details by far the most valuable cents released into the United States monetary supply from 1900 to 2020. In both the words "Liberty" and "In God We," the letters are doubled. If you have a rare variety, it will have a small space between the letters A and M in "AMERICA." Value. This wheat cent is the only example known to exist. If you happen to find one it could be worth 1 Million, and possibly even more. A.) 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. The most exciting thing is you can find some of these rare, valuable pennies easily because they're still in circulation. We offer reliable real coin melt conversions and hand written stats on each and every coin in our database. Most Valuable Nickels A List Of Silver Nickels, Buffalo Nickels & Old Nickels Worth Holding Onto! 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. Of all the 1943 copper pennies, only one Denver-minted copper cent is believed to exist, making it one of the rarest U.S. coins to date. This created an overnight sensation among coin collectors, and this penny has become known as the "Holy Grail" for collectors of Lincoln pennies. And some coins are made more valuable simply by being unintentional, as with the 1943 Lincoln pennies that were mistakenly made with bronze rather than steel. For the world's rarest and most coveted pennies, values are well over $100,000 and approaching $2 million. Similar to the 1972 penny mentioned, the 1971 S penny has a doubling error on both sides. We offer reliable real coin melt conversions and hand written stats on each and every coin in our database. But, a mix-up in the San Francisco mint resulted in about 30 pennies being made from steel left over from the 1943 pennies. Sold: August 2014; Heritage Auctions, Chicago, IL, ANA US Coins Signature Auction. Looking to make a profit coin roll hunting? This list and the prices are current as of 2023. This 1982 Copper Penny Is Worth $10,000! Finally, demand is the factor that drives value the most. During this time, all the pennies were made of steel, as copper was needed for the War effort. By checking this box, I agree to recieving email and phone communication about blog posts, coins, and coin related products from Coin Collecting or their trusted partners. The mint mark is a smaller letter on the face of the coin underneath the year that signifies where it was minted. These are coins you can find in your pocket change. While others are drawing attention on basis of how old and rare they are. In the close "AM" variety, the "FG" is closer to the building. If you find a 1983 penny with everything doubled, the Lincoln Memorial Building included, save it for a rainy day. Good news however. 2010 - 2023 USA Coin Book. These were steel planchets that were coated in a layer of zinc to improve their luster. 1913 Liberty Nickel-The Olsen Specimen. This is a genuine coin that was dug by a metal detectorist, according to the listing. Since the very beginning, the images on the penny have symbolized the spirit of the country. 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. These are the most valuable pennies in circulation.And they are worth a pretty penny if you find them. Well, here's a cheat sheet of the most valuable pennies to keep. Sold: January 2006; Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN Signature Auction. 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. Many citizens hoarded gold, silver, and copper coins as a store of wealth. Actually, 1856 Flying Eagle pennies were made as a pattern coin, and while many of them circulated, the series wasnt intended to be produced on a mass scale yet not until 1857, anyway. In 2021, an MS64 graded coin (pictured left) sold for $180,000. Coins list is recomputed with each pricing update. The 1969-S (San Francisco Mint) is no exception, and its not only one of the most expensive small cents, but also the priciest among the Lincoln Memorial series. A close examination of Lincoln's ear shows a definitive double stamp. Think of how much ammunition was needed during world war three, and then you can begin to understand why the US Mint switched from copper to steel planchets. The 1995 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Memorial Cent became a rare penny (and a valuable collector's item) after a doubling error occurred. List of the Top 100 Modern Coins The Details The modern coin era began in America in 1965, the first year the U.S. Mint produced copper-nickel "clad" coins as replacement for silver coins, ending an unbroken, 173 year tradition. Some pennies, originally worth a single cent, are now worth thousands of dollars. One variety had a widely spaced "AM" in the word "America.". 1913-D Buffalo Nickel-Type 2. In fact, the first "Fugiocent" wasdesigned by Benjamin Franklin. It is estimated that fewer than 20 were released by each of the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints. But, of course, rarity is a significant factor in determining a penny's worth. 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. Planchets are stored in bins, and just a few copper ones were hidden in the bottom and covered up with loads of steel planchets. Pay attention to the photos and details below to see if you have one of these valuable nickels in your piggy bank. Extra notes: 1944 steel cents should technically be a weaker strike than 1943 steel cents. This penny exhibits doubling on the date and lettering on the obverse. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny struck in San Francisco Mint. To hold an 1877 Indian Head Penny in uncirculated condition is an extreme rarity given the poor economic conditions of that year. 50 Most Valuable Coins in the World | Work + Money Coins 50 Most Valuable Coins in the World By Kimberly Yavorski, updated on August 22, 2022 Stack's Bowers Coin collecting goes back to medieval Mesopotamia. If you buy thru these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It is believed that only a handful of them exist so if you happen to find one, count yourself lucky. This rare coin stands out among the Lincoln cents worth a lot of money. Nostomania's 100 Most Valuable U.S. After all, over 4 million of them minted at the San Francisco mint. Below we unveil the most valuable circulated pennies worth up to $11,128, based on recently completed eBay listings. Real Helpful. 7 Rare Wheat Pennies To Collect & What Theyre Worth Today, All Lincoln wheat pennies made from 1909-1958. Many of these coins exhibit wear from circulation. Even the smallest abrasions can affect the coin's value. The top 100 penny stock listTop 10 Rare Canadian Pennies! 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. This coin was first discovered in 1970 and was reported by Coin World on the front page in its July 8, 1970 edition. The 6 Most Common Valuable Coins 01 of 10 1969-S Lincoln Cent With a Doubled Die Obverse Heritage Auction Galleries This coin is exceedingly 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. Well here you go a list of the most valuable pennies, each worth more than $1 apiece! 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