top 100 valuable pennies
In 2009, an MS66RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $149,500! The top 100 penny stock listTop 10 Rare Canadian Pennies! The difference between this 1873 penny and the closed 3 listed above is the way the serifed ends of the 3 come near the middle of the digit. In fact, the first "Fugio cent" was designed by Benjamin Franklin. 1917-S Buffalo Nickel. 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. When an example as fine as this one crosses the auction block, it is certain to set record prices. Any one of these coins in circulated or uncirculated condition is extremely rare. It will stick to a magnet. What penny errors should I be looking for? By the end of the 1950s, they had become a hot coin collector item and remain so to this day. This coin was first discovered in 1970 and was reported by Coin World on the front page in its July 8, 1970 edition. Be sure to check your change for this one! Check out our penny price guides below. 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. In both the words "Liberty" and "In God We," the letters are doubled. 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. If you want this coin be prepared to shell out $1.2 million as that is the current asking price. To have all three initials ona coin's design was unheard of. 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. Click coin image to view full-size image. But two zinc-plated steel planchets somehow ended up in the coining press in the San Francisco mint. However, what is known for sure is that the 1922 no-D penny is quite scarce and in high demand among coin collectors. This penny is the undisputed "King" of Canadian Pennies The penny dates listed below are worth more than just a few cents(unlike most of the ones referenced above). We offer reliable real coin melt conversions and hand written stats on each and every coin in our database. 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. These are the most valuable quarters and twenty-five cent coins known. . This coin sold on eBay on August 3, racking up 46 bids that quickly jumped in price. They range in value from a few dollars to as much as $200,000+ and include a smorgasbord of cool rarities and unusual pieces. The Secret Service confiscated the early specimens until the U.S. Mint admitted they were genuine. This is a labor of love you might say, so it is resource intensive and slow. 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. Similar to the other 1944 pennies mentioned here, there were only two San Francisco-minted steel pennies produced in 1944. Pennies offer a plethora of errors and varieties some are fairly common and some are extremely rare. But the rarest of all is this single known pristine example from the Denver mint. Small cents, by the way, are 19.1 millimeter diameter pennies that have been produced by the United States Mint since 1856. Why It's Worth So Much:Sometimes, if the die used to stampa coin with an image aren't correctly aligned, images or letters appear"doubled" on the coin. It may be worth taking a look, because many of the most valuable pennies on this list were made in the 20th century. According toCoinTrackers, just 850,000 of these rare pennies were minted. Image: USA CoinBook. 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? Some believe it was a mistake, while others think someone created the coins deliberately. 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. CoinTrackers.com is an invaluable resource dedicated to helping the coin collector and silver community. To identify this ultra-valuable penny, take a close look at the date and mint mark. 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. The bins of steel planchets were fed into machines and the handful of left over copper planchets overlooked.
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! All of these factors together make this the second most valuable penny in the world. As always, the value of any coin is only worth how much someone else is willing to pay for it. A doubled die coin of any era is usually pretty scarce to begin with, but an Indian Head cent is scarcer still. Wondering which pennies are worth more than face 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. 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. The force needed to create a copper penny is less than that needed to create a steel penny. The standard for the 1940 era would be something akin to a MS-65 RD. 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 16 Most Valuable Pennies Small Pieces of Copper Worth Huge Amounts of Money By James Bucki Updated on 09/17/22 While the pennies pictured in the above photo are not valuable, the ones listed below are worth a whole lot more. The best known specimen as of late is an MS63 Brown (BN) and it has sold for more than $500,000. USA Coin Book has compiled a list of the most valuable US pennies ever known. 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. 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. What makes this particular coin extremely valuable is its pristine condition despite being over 100 years old. But it is scarce to find an uncirculated 1926-S Lincoln penny with its original copper-red color. 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. These steel planchets were used primarily in 1943. Here's a list of the most valuable pennies out there to help you spot that one-of-a-kind gem. 1856 Flying Eagle penny, $12,850 Only 2,000 examples of the Flying Eagle cents were ever made. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny struck in San Francisco Mint. 1943 S Copper Penny Sales. If so, the modern United States cent is one of the best places to start looking. *This list of most valuable pennies refers to problem-free coins grading Extremely Fine-40 on the Sheldon Grading Scale. This made is difficult for the federal government to obtain the metal needed for minting coins. 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. However, newspaper reporters had an issue with the placement of the initials, which were located on the bottom of the reverse side of the coin, according to Professional Coin Grading Service president Ron Gruth. But, a mix-up in the San Francisco mint resulted in about 30 pennies being made from steel left over from the 1943 pennies. 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. Even the smallest abrasions can affect the coin's value. Perhaps 15,000 to 20,000 plain 1922 Lincoln Cents were made, but nobody knows the exact number of examples that were made, let alone how many remain to this day. How to Find Rare Coins Worth Money and Wanted by Collectors. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSunUS and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunUS, Just days until a whole new slew of beloved stores close - see where, Major department store chain to close multiple shops this year, 20 'secret' clearance items to buy at Walmart at up to 75% off, Brand new $914 direct payment drops in two weeks - when to check your account, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, We round up some pennies that have recently sold for quite the value, This popular coin has a controversial past, Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk, This coin is extremely popular among collectors, A mistake at the mint lead to this being a very valuable coin, Just 850,000 of these pennies were minted in 1877, This is the Sheldon-189 version of the late the 1700s coin, The flying eagle coin is made out of copper-nickel, Check your pocket change as a rare Lincoln penny error coin could earn you money, six other rare and valuable error coins worth up to $599, the most valuable US coins worth up to $10,633. Pokmon TCG Umbreon-EX Fates Collide 119/124 Holo Full Art NM . Nov 2013 - VF35 $207,000. 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;. These factors make this a very rare and valuable penny indeed. Since this coin exhibits evidence of circulation and must have exited the mint via regular distribution channels. It is estimated that fewer than 20 were released by each of the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints. Coins Signature Auction. *All of the coin values listed from 1958 or earlier and 1959 to 2000 came from USA Coin Book, unless otherwise noted. 2019 Penny Value Guide: Some 2019 Pennies Are Worth $3,600 Apiece! Moving away from the Lincoln coins, a flying eagle cent from the 1850ssold for more than $11,000 recently. Coins list is recomputed with each pricing update. 1916 Buffalo Nickel-Doubled Die Obverse. The machines from 1944 should have been dialed back from 1943 in an effort to preserve the dies longevity. 4. This page is a work in progress, share to social media and check back later for updates. Of all the cents currently in circulation these pennies are worth the most money. As a rule, 1873 open 3 Indian cents are more common than the closed 3 variety. The 1877 version has been said to be the rarest Indian head penny there is. Instead of placing the initials elsewhere in new dies, mint employees simply removed them entirely from the coin, and a new round of cents were produced without the VDB.. It simply is a regular-issue piece that was struck in relatively low numbers. The penny has been part of US currency almost as long as the country has been independent. Maybe you have a collectible in a bowl or piggy bank you've forgotten about. The lines "In God We Trust" and "Liberty" are both doubled as well as the 1955 date itself. The TOP 25 Most Valuable Pennies. This is one of the most popular and controversial coins among collectors. 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. Sold: August 2017; Heritage Auctions, Denver, CO, ANA U.S. However, after many complaints, the United States Mint changed back to the regular copper planchets beginning in 1944. The DDO on the coin has a very clear doubling on the lines "In God We Trust" and "Liberty." In addition, we are NOT factoring in the prices for Proof versions of these pennies (unless the Proof version is an error coin or an unusual variety). Be careful not to scratch the coin however. Because of their uniqueness, theyre remarkably valuable. 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. Regardless of how they got out of the mint, these exceedingly rare die variety Lincoln cents would be prized by any collector. (Psst! Nov 2020 - MS63 Brown $500,000. Roosevelt Dime, PR 8 1990 No S Lincoln Cent, PR 9 2000-P Cheerios Sacagawea Dollar, SP 10 See the complete TOP 100 list READ MORE The Top 100 Foreword By Ron Guth The modern coin era began in America in 1965, the first year the U.S. Mint produced copper-nickel "clad" coins as a replacement for silver coins, ending an unbroken, 173-year tradition. Carefully hold a magnet over the coin and see if you get any reaction. The most exciting thing is you can find some of these rare, valuable pennies easily because they're still in circulation. 24/100 - Rare Heavily Played Pokemon EX - Sandstorm . This is a genuine coin that was dug by a metal detectorist, according to the listing. Only 2,000 1856 Flying Eagle Cents were minted, making this quite the rare coin! The other variety of this rare penny stamped the letters closer together, nearly touching. 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. As a result, a majority of the 1941-D Lincoln pennies are in circulated condition. 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. This only takes place in the small date version. A recent auction on eBay only lasted for three bids before the buyer offered $2,705, knocking out other bidders. Just as with the flying eagle cent, this coin was designed by Mr Longacre. Coins are in order from Most to Least expensive. As a result, most of these pennies went into circulation. Not because of its date of minting, but because of its die variety. In the case of this rare 1917 penny, the words "In God We Trust" are doubled. Regular minted coins from 1992 will have a noticeable gap between the two letters. Most recent sales of the 1944 Zinc coated steel penny sales. 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. What It's Worth: $185,000, butsold for $1 million to Bob R. Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers, in 2012. This one's going to be tough to find in circulation, but since it was produced after the 1950s, we had to include it. This penny exhibits doubling on the date and lettering on the obverse. Use this cheat sheet tosee which pennies are worth saving and which ones are worth spending. Collectibles come and go. In the close "AM" variety, the "FG" is closer to the building. 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. Email us at
[email protected] or call 212 416 4552. Contact your preferred coin grading company and find out the safest way to send the coin their way, being sure to insure the specimen. Accidents can produce the rarest coins. Small Pieces of Copper Worth Huge Amounts of Money. Good news however. Sold: September 2010; Legend Numismatics, Private Sale. Its possible these coins may be hiding in the basement, inside an attic box, or even inside your penny jar. This is a labor of love you might say, so it is resource intensive and slow. A handful of these 1990s pennies didnt get the signature "S" mint mark. 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. As these anomalies have become more known, more and more specimens have come to light. This rare coin stands out among the Lincoln cents worth a lot of money. Although there were many of these coins made, they're hard to come by since they're so sought after and usually sell very quickly. Victor David Brenner created the design under the auspices of President Theodore Roosevelt. 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. This is a valuable coin that actually has a few different varieties, the large letters, small letters, and the 8 over 7. The top 25 most valuable pennies. In 2021, an MS62 graded coin (pictured left) sold for $372,000. In 1877, the economic slump that began in 1873 continued with full force. Isn't it funny how having an extra ear can make a penny valuable? My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. ships in penny sleeve, inside top loader, with extra protection. tv. 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. Check outsix other rare and valuable error coins worth up to $599. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); In 1943 the United States switched all pennies to 2.702 g zinc coated steel planchets. Its also one of my favorite coins! Another coin for avid coin collectors to look out for is the 1858 Flying Eagle Cent. It is the most valuable Lincoln penny in the world.
But coins hold their value remarkably well. Similar to the 1972 penny mentioned, the 1971 S penny has a doubling error on both sides. 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. 1922 No D plain Lincoln Wheat Penny, $2,050 Repairs to a damaged coin die left the 1922-D cent without any visible trace of its mint mark, leaving a coin that many thought back in the mid 1920s was a typical unmarked penny from the Philadelphia Mint. This Philadelphia-minted coin collected 66 bids online. Because these are more plentiful than the D version of this error, coin grade or condition is much more important. As a result, saving even a penny for a coin collection was not an option for most Americans. Sold: January 2006; Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN Signature Auction. 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 year 1971 was a good one for penny collectors. The 1943 pennies made of steel were officially a one-year-only production, as the mint switched back to a bronze alloy (95% copper and 5% tin) in 1944. Of all the cents currently in circulation these pennies are worth the most money. 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. The number "7" appears higher than usual, nearly level with the "0.". We offer reliable real coin melt conversions and hand written stats on each and every coin in our database. 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. 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. The penny features the letters VDB on the bottom of the back of the coin, which are the initials of designer Victor David Brenner. Do you have any of these coins in your penny jar? On one side, "In God We Trust" is doubled, and "Liberty" is doubled on the other. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. A close examination of Lincoln's ear shows a definitive double stamp. 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. Most recent sales of the 1943 Copper Penny. 25 Most Valuable Pennies (Updated)Thanks for joining the currency and coin community here on YouTube! Please ask any questions, can provide more pictures if needed, Keep an eye out for weekly additions to listings. Such a clean example of doubling has made it one of the most popular and valuable DDOs in existence. If you enjoy this article please be sure to share on your favorite social media platform. Also, the listing claims that it was the first American coin to use nickel to inspire a coin-collecting hobby in the late 1800s. to the coin's reverse, at the bottom between the two stalks of wheat. *All of the coin values listed from 1958 or earlier came from USA Coin Book, unless otherwise noted. San Francisco is known to have only produced five of the 1943 bronze/copper pennies, making them especially rare, but some experts have been willing to note that there may be more in existence. Sold: January 2008; Heritage Auctions, Orlando, FL, FUN Signature Coin Auction. But of course, youll want to keep in mind that the value of the coin could depend on the grade and condition. The close "AM" version is the more valuable penny of the two. In 2006, an MS67RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $97,750. You should follow us on Facebook too, we occasionally run contests on our page!). 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) An uncirculated example in its original mint state red color is extremely rare and valuable. These are everyday, run-of-the-mill coins currently in circulation. Legend Rare Coin Auctions. If you find a 1983 penny with everything doubled, the Lincoln Memorial Building included, save it for a rainy day. 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. Source: PGCS.com. Experts claim that plates of this metal were slipped in during the minting by . The majority of these coins are Denver and Philadelphia issue coins, and all have been issued within the last 55 years. 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. While theyre still more common than those from other mints that year, they are still considered rare and valuable. 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. 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. Coin Chart: Tap a '+' sign to expand further coin details.
Thepennies that arent on this list are worth only a nominal amount usually between 3 cents and $1. This is making them worth significantly more than their original value of one cent. One variety had a widely spaced "AM" in the word "America.". As with anything that's mass-produced, some mistakeshave crept into the penny's circulation. @mohammed_nanotech / Twenty20 Some little pieces of copper can be worth some huge dollar amounts. Thecoin sold in the listingis the Sheldon-189 version. 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. Coins in this condition are few and far between and are truly treasures to behold. It is estimated that only 5 million of these coins were made, and very few of them were saved in uncirculated condition. A 1944 Lincoln penny struck at the Denver, Colorado mint facility is nothing special. Want to know what the most valuable pennies are? 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. The list below details by far the most valuable cents released into the United States monetary supply from 1900 to 2020. Coins are in order from Most to Least expensive. This 1943 Lincoln penny should have been struck on a zinc-plated steel planchet but was in fact made with a bronze alloy planchet. 1958 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Penny - About $336,000 The 1958 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Penny is one of the most valuable pennies in the world, considered as the holy grail by many coin collectors . 1. Fiction Writing. This coin is the second example of a 1943 Lincoln cent that should have been struck on a zinc-plated steel planchet but was instead coined on a bronze planchet. Jan 2016 - AU55 $211,000. Share to help us grow
This is definitely one of the most valuable pennies in circulation, fetching prices as high as $500 in mint state condition. 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. 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. Slightly more than 4 million of them were minted. Sold: March 2018; Stacks Bowers; Baltimore - Session 3 - Rarities Night Including the ESM Collection. What makes this coin extremely valuable is the fact that it was struck on a zinc-coated steel planchet. Sold: October 2011; Heritage Auctions, Pittsburgh, PA, Signature Auction. 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. 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. Why It's Worth So Much: Copper wasadded to the penny in 1944; the alloy also incorporatedrecycled ammunition shells. Jan 2018 - AU53 $228,000. What It's Worth: One Michigan collector, Michael Tremonti, found one in a roll of uncirculated pennies. The 1995 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Memorial Cent became a rare penny (and a valuable collector's item) after a doubling error occurred. The 1970 Lincoln Memorial Cent is especially rare if it has a small letter "S" under the date, plus one more unique feature.