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. Sold: March 2018; Stacks Bowers; Baltimore - Session 3 - Rarities Night Including the ESM Collection. 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. This coin is considered a key date in the series, and one of the more valuable non-error pennies. The coins - of which there are about 40 or50 in existence- are quite valuable. What It's Worth: One Michigan collector, Michael Tremonti, found one in a roll of uncirculated pennies. 10 Most Valuable Walking Liberty Half Dollars. A recent auction on eBay only lasted for three bids before the buyer offered $2,705, knocking out other bidders. Pokmon TCG Umbreon-EX Fates Collide 119/124 Holo Full Art NM . Mr Hernandez wrote of this coin that it's the only Lincoln cent in the entire series which lacks its intended mint mark. Prior to this date, pennies were large and bulky and were almost the size of a half-dollar. Having one in its original copper-red color makes it much more extraordinary. 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. The initial cost to get started is just $25.00 and your time. 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. We will notify you each week there's a new article posted! It also rightly excludes Proof Coins, Special Issues, Commemoratives, and the like. Use this cheat sheet tosee which pennies are worth saving and which ones are worth spending. Coins in this condition are few and far between and are truly treasures to behold. Contact your preferred coin grading company and find out the safest way to send the coin their way, being sure to insure the specimen. But the rarest of all is this single known pristine example from the Denver mint. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny struck in San Francisco Mint. This penny exhibits doubling on the date and lettering on the obverse. Be sure to check your change for this one! 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. If youre looking to purchase an 1857 Flying Eagle Penny for your coin collection, this is one of the cheaper dates, as long as youre okay with a lower grade of coin. Although the 1909-S Indian Head Penny has a smaller mintage, more of them were saved in uncirculated condition. 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. The penny features the letters VDB on the bottom of the back of the coin, which are the initials of designer Victor David Brenner. These are incredibly rare so make sure that your coin is certified if you find one or buy one. Why is this coin so rare? Sold: October 2011; Heritage Auctions, Pittsburgh, PA, Signature Auction. We've also rounded upthe most valuable US coins worth up to $10,633. Well, here's a cheat sheet of the most valuable pennies to keep. This is a labor of love you might say, so it is resource intensive and slow. 01:14 1920 s wheat penny - $900; 00:45 1871 indian head penny - $875; 00:11 1921 s wheat penny - $850; we strive to put out videos as quickly as we can that cover coins and bank notes. Looking to make a profit coin roll hunting? Do you have any of these coins in your penny jar? While theyre still more common than those from other mints that year, they are still considered rare and valuable. $11.50 What makes this particular coin extremely valuable is its pristine condition despite being over 100 years old. This is an easy way to build a collection, and all it takes is time. These steel planchets were used primarily in 1943. Feb 2016 - AU58 $280,000. This created an overnight sensation among coin collectors, and this penny has become known as the "Holy Grail" for collectors of Lincoln pennies. Five coins were confiscated and destroyed before they were acknowledged as being genuine. What It's Worth: $185,000, butsold for $1 million to Bob R. Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers, in 2012. Additionally, it has been sufficiently well preserved to retain its original bright red-copper color. The 1943 D Copper / Bronze penny has been deemed the Holy Grail of penny errors. If you ever come across one of these rare pennies, don't use it on a parking meter. Are you concerned the precious metals train has left the station without you. Real Experiences. This penny is the rarest date of all the Indian Head pennies ever minted. 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. Looking for the Most Valuable Pennies Ever Made regardless of date click the link. This list and the prices are current as of 2023. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. Many of these coins exhibit wear from circulation. It simply is a regular-issue piece that was struck in relatively low numbers. In 2018, an MS66+RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $158,625. A zinc coated steel planchet is magnetic. When the U.S. switched from bronze alloy to zinc-plated steel pennies in 1943, only a relative handful of bronze pennies slipped through. 1856 Flying Eagle penny, $12,850 Only 2,000 examples of the Flying Eagle cents were ever made. Image courtesy of 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. 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. 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. Top 100 valuable pennies. An uncirculated example in its original mint state red color is extremely rare and valuable. Real People. 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. 1924-S Penny The estimated value of 1924-S Lincoln Wheat Penny is worth $1.54 in average condition and can be worth $126 to $230 or more in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition. Rather than a special addition, this penny is valuable for something it lacks. In 2021, an MS65 RB graded coin (pictured left) sold for $66,000. Lots Of Rare Pennies And How Much Theyre Worth Today (Most Are Worth $500+). 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. In 2021, an MS62 graded coin (pictured left) sold for $372,000. Take, for instance, the popular 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent. If you want this coin be prepared to shell out $1.2 million as that is the current asking price. Aug 2019 - AU53 $216,000. One variety had a widely spaced "AM" in the word "America.". CoinTrackers.com is an invaluable resource dedicated to helping the coin collector and silver community. 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. How to Find Rare Coins Worth Money and Wanted by Collectors. Please ask any questions, can provide more pictures if needed, Keep an eye out for weekly additions to listings. Coins Nostomania's 100 most valuable U.S. Click coin image to view full-size image. If you have a rare variety, it will have a small space between the letters A and M in "AMERICA." Value. 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. Since the very beginning, the images on the penny have symbolized the spirit of the country. Because of this long history, many people expect older coins to have more value. One factor contributing to this coin's significant value is its low mintage. 1916 Buffalo Nickel-Doubled Die Obverse. The other variety of this rare penny stamped the letters closer together, nearly touching. Even for an example in a lowly grade of Good-4 on the Sheldon Grading Scale, 1856 Flying Eagle pennies are valued at about $7,000! If you think you might be in possession of this rare error here are the steps you should take. Since this coin exhibits evidence of circulation and must have exited the mint via regular distribution channels. As a result, most of these pennies went into circulation. Those coins are hard to come by, but if you have one, you may be in line for a real financial windfall. Pennies minted in zinc-coated steel planchets in 1944 are pretty scarce and, of course, highly valued by coin collectors. However, after many complaints, the United States Mint changed back to the regular copper planchets beginning in 1944. There are still a lot of Lincoln pennies that are valuable that we don't define as still being in circulation because they were minted before 1950. 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, Kennedy Half Dollar Values and Prices (1964-2015), The 1943-S Copper Penny Found by Kenneth Wing. The Indian Head penny was designed by mint engraver James B. Longacre and was first issued in 1859. To lower costs, the United States Mint sought to reduce the size of the penny (to its current diameter). A doubled die coin of any era is usually pretty scarce to begin with, but an Indian Head cent is scarcer still. This pocket change price guide for the year 2023 details worthwhile coin finds that you likely have just sitting around the house. The 1922 Lincoln Wheat Cents were minted at the Denver Mint using a "D" lettered coin die. Most of them pulled the coins out of circulation. Either way, its a great rarity and a coin every collector should have. 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. Most valuable penny and Lincoln coins revealed - and one piece sold for $11,128 Anthony Russo Josephine Fuller Published: 7:45 ET, Oct 16 2021 Updated: 15:34 ET, Sep 2 2022 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. 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. That said, we realize that some people might still be using these pennies to buy things without realizing their value. But coins hold their value remarkably well. The Most Valuable Pennies Of All Time Michelle Nati Updated December 2, 2019 963.2k views15 items The penny has been part of US currency almost as long as the country has been independent. Coins are in order from Most to Least expensive. All Rights Reserved. To have all three initials ona coin's design was unheard of. In the case of this rare 1917 penny, the words "In God We Trust" are doubled. 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. This 1982 Copper Penny Is Worth $10,000! The bins of steel planchets were fed into machines and the handful of left over copper planchets overlooked. If the coin does stick to a magnet it will need to be certified. This is a labor of love you might say, so it is resource intensive and slow. Of all the cents currently in circulation these pennies are worth the most money. While the original edition pennies from 1909 can have significant collectable value, other editions of the Lincoln penny can be highly desired by coin collectors as well. Note: It's not always easy to see, so consult an expert if you're not sure. The most expensive coin on the list is also an Indian Head cent. We offer reliable real coin melt conversions and hand written stats on each and every coin in our database. 1917-S Buffalo Nickel. Source 1909 Penny The first Lincoln Penny was struck by the U.S. Mint in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. B.) Want to know what the most valuable pennies are? 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. The close "AM" version is the more valuable penny of the two. If so, the modern United States cent is one of the best places to start looking. Most ammunition consists of a copper or brass (copper/zinc) casing, filled with gunpowder, and capped with a lead, copper or steel bullet. These are in order with the newest being on top. The standard for the 1940 era would be something akin to a MS-65 RD. 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. But it is scarce to find an uncirculated 1926-S Lincoln penny with its original copper-red color. Finally, demand is the factor that drives value the most. It is unknown how only three examples got to leave the United States Mint facility in Philadelphia, but because all of them are in Mint State Red condition, it is speculation that they may have been smuggled out of the mint by an unscrupulous mint employee. Jan 2018 - AU53 $228,000. Read more in our privacy policy. The 1958 Doubled-Die Obverse penny is one of the rarest pennies ever made. If you want to know what your U.S. penny is worth, then read on! The odds of finding a 1943 D Penny struck on a bronze planchet is likely around 10 in 217 million. 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. There are a few different varieties of the 1873 Indian Cents, with all of them being rare and quite valuable, theres the open 3, and the closed 3, but the most valuable is the doubled Liberty. Such a clean example of doubling has made it one of the most popular and valuable DDOs in existence. Here's 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. 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