The United States government banned melting copper pennies in 2006. This 1943 Lincoln penny should have been struck on a zinc-plated steel planchet but was in fact made with a bronze alloy planchet. In fact, their numismatic values makes them worth more than most Lincoln Memorial pennies. Bucki estimates that 1,000 or less were made before the Mint discovered its error. The collector also ensured that the coin was correctly stored to preserve its color. In the bison series, there were several coins discovered to have a large die gouge a raised feature that appears on a coin when a die is damaged. So, thats why I turn to coin roll searching. Not because of its date of minting, but because of its die variety. Almost every collector of United States coins began collecting the Lincoln penny. While the two most valuable coins on this list are coincidentally the rarest (between 20 and 40 specimens each of the 1943 bronze cent and 1944 steel cent are thought to exist), the order of which coins are most valuable doesnt necessarily correspond with the order of rarity. There's also some light doubling on the date. However, some Lincoln cents have more than a penny's worth of copper in them, but it is illegal to melt them. Many people spend the Half Dollars from 1965 to 1970 or sell them in rolls of halves they take to the bank, not realizing they are 40 percent silver. Gray asked a collector named Robert Teitelbaum to sell the illegal coins and to place 85 of them into circulation in Washington. This post may contain affiliate links. But coins hold their value remarkably well. Accurate recognition of dates also becomes important when separating variety and value. Close-up images and descriptions of grades are used to judge condition. Sold: January 2004; Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN Signature Auction. Condition is judged comparing to images, video and descriptions. These newer, zinc-based Lincoln cents are often called Zincolnsand are widely available in circulation today. "It's especially obvious in the words 'ONE CENT' and 'E PLURIBUS UNUM.' Discover all the rare varieties, dates and mintmarks. While the Secret Service was trying to recover as many fakes as possible, they discovered several authentic 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse cents, which they initially believed were fake and destroyed increasing the rarity of the already rare coins. This penny is the undisputed "King" of Canadian Pennies! The 1944 steel to copper/bronze transition of pennies involved the inclusion of leftover zinc-coated steel. 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. 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. This is one of the most exceedingly rare and intriguing Lincoln cents. Her greatest joy is spending time with her two kids and dabbling in her creative passions of photography, dance, and art. This is the second-lowest number of 1943 Lincoln pennies on bronze planchets produced at any of the United States Mint locations. For this list, we are only including small cents: Flying Eagle Cents, Indian Head Pennies, Lincoln Wheat Pennies, Lincoln Memorial Cents, and Lincoln Shield Cents. Bucki estimates that a 1992 Close AM coin in fairly new condition could be worth about $20,000, while a used one could sell for around $2,000 to $3,000. But two zinc-plated steel planchets somehow ended up in the coining press in the San Francisco mint. Prior to this date, pennies were large and bulky and were almost the size of a half-dollar. As opposed to the 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent, where thousands of them are known, there are only three 1958 Doubled Die Lincoln pennies known to exist. Small cents, by the way, are 19.1 millimeter diameter pennies that have been produced by the United States Mint since 1856. You can look up in the Red Book and see if you have something that's a good date, says Douglas Winter, founder of Douglas Winter Numismatics and author of more than a dozen books on numismatics the study/collection of currency. However, the flat spots do not connect, separation of high areas remain. Sold: March 2018; Stacks Bowers; Baltimore - Session 3 - Rarities Night Including the ESM Collection. This coin was first discovered in 1970 and was reported by Coin World on the front page in its July 8, 1970 edition. This came about because in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Mint used different dies for producing coins for circulation and proof coins for collectors, explained Bucki. Although the doubling is not as dramatic as the 1955 doubled die obverse, it is evident with low-level magnification. The four currently operating U.S. Mints are: Auction record: $2,185 Heritage Auctions. What follows are the 11 through 25th most valuable pennies: 1917 doubled die Lincoln Wheat Penny, $1,350, 1972 doubled die obverse Lincoln Memorial penny, $290, 1909-S/S over horizontal S Lincoln Wheat Penny, $275. Series are identified along with dates and mintmarks. Here's a rundown of 10 of the most expensive pennies made since 1900: 1. "Several prototypes for the cent were produced in 1792, including the large Birch cent.". A short series, serving a specific demand at the time, minted 1864 to 1873. 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. Bottom line: The 1955 Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Penny is one of the most famous examples of design doubling on coinage. 7 Rare Wheat Pennies To Collect & What Theyre Worth Today, This 1982 Copper Penny Is Worth $10,000! Bottom line: OK, we'll admit it. 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. 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. 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. You never know, one of your pennies could be worth the price of a nice dinner or a whole lot more. In 1864, the Civil War was dragging on, and the United States economy was extremely fragile. From half cents, large cents, Indian pennies, and Lincoln cents all have unique examples of value added by special qualities. A handful of these 1990s pennies didnt get the signature "S" mint mark. Condition is also playing an increasing role. After all, over 4 million of them minted at the San Francisco mint. Stone estimates that 15 to 20 are known to collectors today, although it's possible that there are a few that have not yet been accounted for. 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. Earlier this year, an ordinary looking penny made headlines when it was found among the possessions of a man named Don Lutes. These copper coins date back to the beginnings of the mint. Most of these S-Mint Lincoln Memorial cents have been pulled from circulation, so they rarely turn up in pocket change anymore. 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. Keep coin roll hunting and a. The coppery color of modern-day pennies is merely a thin plating of copper on a 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper core. 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. *All of the coin values listed from 1958 or earlier came from USA Coin Book, unless otherwise noted. Additionally, they can help get your coin certified by a grading service and guide you through the entire selling process. These dimes came to be known as Mercury Head dimes. Take, for instance, the popular 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent. 1856 Flying Eagle penny, $12,850 Only 2,000 examples of the Flying Eagle cents were ever made. The Philadelphia mint produced about 20 bronze/copper coins in 1943, making this one incredibly rare and valuable. Step 1 above are image links to match your coin. 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. The Half Dollar coin had silver in it until 1970. 1877 Indian Head penny, $2,650 Unlike the first five pennies listed in this article, the 1877 Indian Head cent isnt any type of error or pattern coin. Preparing and selling wheat pennies for the best value is possible. The most elusive of these coins was owned by George Walton, the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. The 1999 Connecticut Quarter is the fifth design released in the 50 States quarter collection. CashforGoldUSA is our top choice for selling coins for scrap because: Get money for your coins today with CashforGoldUSA >>. A penny's worth depends on its quality and rarity. These coins arent particularly valuable and are listed from about $2 to $50 on ebay. Get Make It newsletters delivered to your inbox, Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It, 2023 CNBC LLC. 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 coins are being pressed, lubricant is used on the machine to reduce friction between parts. Penny values span a wide range. 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. While some people may think that all pennies are made entirely from copper, virtually every one-cent coin made since late 1982 has a composition consisting of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. Minda Zetlin is a freelance writer covering business, money, tech and collectibles. One time, I found about200 copper pennies among 20 rolls of pennies, or $10 worth of one-cent coins. Coin Values Discovery finds Penny Values and All old US coin values. This created an overnight sensation among coin collectors, and this penny has become known as the "Holy Grail" for collectors of Lincoln pennies. There's also a subtle doubling of the mint mark. Here are some examples of pennies that are worth looking out for: 1. Extremely Fine Grade: Very light wear is noticeable in the Extremely Fine grade. Sculptor Victor D. Brenner was asked by the U.S. Mint to design a coin depicting Abraham Lincoln in celebration of his centennial birthday. Its just not worth it. There are about 45,000 of these coins in existence. Mintmarks became important to penny values starting in 1908. The 1955 Doubled-Die Obverse (DDO) Penny is one of the most famous examples of design doubling on coinage. 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