Keep Your Penny for These Reasons now! Your Pocket Change Might End Up Being a Real Fortune for you. Have you sometimes thought that the common coin you keep is actually worth something more than a cent and yes you heard that right it might turn into a fortune ?
Believe it or not! The first year that Lincoln pennies were created in 1909 also marks the year some of them started being valued at thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in auctions now it’s even more valuable.
Why These Lincoln Penny Coins Are Worth Money
These coins have been used for more than a century in the United States and are often made of copper (with steel also being used). Through World War I, World War II and the Great Depression, the economy has continued to develop in the United States of America. Some pennies are very valuable today because of changes in designs and a few rare mistakes made during their production.
How to Look for Your Personal Lincoln Pennies
How much a coin is worth and what its mintmark means can be seen at the beginning. Check if there is a letter written under the date on the part of the coin facing you (the obverse).
The letter “S” shows the product was built in San Francisco.
Denver is represented by the letter “D”.
When there is no letter (or just a “P”) following the zip code, it represents Philadelphia.
Certain years experienced lesser pennies being made by the mint which has made those coins very demanded and valuable. Lower supply and higher demand made it rare and precious.
Times to Pay Attention for These Lincoln Penny Coins
Because there were not many created at that time, these plates are very valuable.
This particular one has a great following! S is for San Francisco and VDB are the designer’s initials placed on the back of the coin.
1914-D (Denver) and 1931-S (San Francisco) were produced in such low numbers that they are extremely important to coin collectors.
This is the most exciting part – The Error Coins. Sometimes during the minting process, errors existed and regular pennies turned into rare treasures.
Compare the other and the date at a magnified level. A distinguishing feature of a “doubled die” is that it is a bit blurry and the stamp appears twice, but it is off-center. The eye-catching value of the 1955 Doubled Die Obverse has made it very popular. Sometimes you’ll see 1969-S and 1972 versions as well.
The Legendary “Wrong Metal” Pennies: This is the ultimate jackpot you can find.
In 1943, most pennies were made of steel due to copper shortages at wartime. But a tiny few were accidentally struck on leftover copper blanks.
You may have a rare and valuable 1943 penny if it is copper-colored and is NOT attracted to a magnet, because this could mean it’s worth is more than a million dollars!
This situation is reflected by the rare 1944 steel penny which had been struck in copper and is now especially valuable.
Small changes in design can add extra value to a penny. An example is that the arrangement of the “A” and “M” in AMERICA on the reverse of some 1990s pennies might represent a rare coin, for example, the 1992 Close AM or 1999 Wide AM.
How the condition matters the most. Just because a coin is rare won’t make it valuable if the condition is poor. Prices for those coins in perfect, “Uncirculated” condition are much higher. If you feel your coin is really valuable, think about having it inspected by a coin grading service as soon as possible.
Ready to Start Your Own Penny Hunt?
The process is easier than people imagine.
Have a Magnifying Glass: You can use this small jeweler’s loupe or a professional magnifying glass to look carefully at minute details.
Be Careful: Take care to hold coins by the edges; avoid touching them with areas of your hand that could release oil which could damage these precious coins.
Always avoid cleaning these coins as cleaning may damage some minute details of the pennies.
List of all the 65 precious pennies which may be a fortune for you
| No. | Year | Mint Mark | Primary Reason for value | Estimated Value Range (USD, Circulated-Uncirculated) | Notes for Collectors |
| 1 | 1909 | S | Extremely low mintage (484,000) for first year | $700 – $15,000+ | The “King” of Lincoln cents. Verify “S” below date & “V.D.B.” between wheat stalks. Prone to counterfeits. |
| 2 | 1914 | D | Very low mintage (1,193,000) | $200 – $5,000+ | Look for clear “D” below the date. Very popular and sought after. |
| 3 | 1922 | No D | Missing/Weak mintmark due to grease-filled die. | $150 – $10,000+ | Often called “Plain” cents. Confirm it’s not an altered “D”. “Strong Reverse” variety is more valuable. |
| 4 | 1931 | S | Low mintage (866,000) during Great Depression | $75 – $1,500+ | Clear “S” below date. A relatively affordable “key date” compared to 1909-S VDB or 1914-D. |
| 5 | 1943 | No Mint Mark | Extremely rare transitional error; struck on copper instead of steel | $100,000 – $1,000,000+ | MUST NOT stick to a magnet. If it’s copper-colored AND non-magnetic, it’s a major discovery. |
| 6 | 1944 | No Mint Mark | Extremely rare transitional error; struck on steel instead of copper | $20,000 – $200,000+ | MUST stick to a magnet. If it’s steel-colored AND magnetic, it’s a major discovery. |
| 7 | 1955 | No Mint Mark | Prominent doubling of date and legends | $1,000 – $20,000+ | Doubling is often easily visible to the naked eye, especially on “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” |
| 8 | 1958 | No Mint Mark | Extremely rare and dramatic doubling | $50,000 – $300,000+ | Considered the “King” of Lincoln Cent DDOs; very few known examples. |
| 9 | 1969 | S | Strong doubling on date and legends | $25,000 – $100,000+ | A significant DDO. Verify “S” mintmark. |
| 10 | 1972 | No Mint Mark | Noticeable doubling on date and legends | $100 – $3,000+ | A popular and collectible DDO for modern collectors. |
| 11 | 1983 | No Mint Mark | Doubling on “ONE CENT” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” | $50 – $500+ | Examine the reverse carefully for clear doubling of the lettering. |
| 12 | 1983 | No Mint Mark | Struck on the older copper planchet instead of copper-plated zinc | $100 – $1,000+ | MUST weigh approx. 3.11 grams (copper) instead of 2.5 grams (zinc). Needs a precise scale. |
| 13 | 1992 | No Mint Mark | “A” & “M” in “AMERICA” are nearly touching at base. | $200 – $2,000+ | For business strikes, “AM” should be “Wide.” This is a die error. |
| 14 | 1992 | D | “A” & “M” in “AMERICA” are nearly touching at base. | $500 – $5,000+ | Same error as above, but with the Denver mintmark, making it rarer. |
| 15 | 1998 | No Mint Mark | “A” & “M” in “AMERICA” are clearly separated at base. | $20 – $150+ | For business strikes, “AM” should be “Close.” This is a die error. |
| 16 | 1999 | No Mint Mark | “A” & “M” in “AMERICA” are clearly separated at base. | $50 – $1,000+ | Very popular and more valuable than the 1998 Wide AM. |
| 17 | 2000 | No Mint Mark | “A” & “M” in “AMERICA” are clearly separated at base. | $5 – $50+ | Less valuable than 1998/1999, but still a collectible variety. |
| 18 | 1970 | S | Date digits are distinctly smaller and positioned differently. | $20 – $200+ | Compare to “Large Date” examples. The loop of the ‘7’ is often higher on the small date. |
| 19 | 1960 | No Mint Mark | Date digits are smaller and more compact. | $5 – $50+ | Both Philadelphia and Denver produced small and large dates. Small Date is generally scarcer. |
| 20 | 1960 | D | Date digits are smaller and more compact. | $5 – $50+ | Both Philadelphia and Denver produced small and large dates. Small Date is generally scarcer. |
| 21 | 1909 | No Mint Mark | VDB initials on reverse. | $10 – $100+ | Higher mintage than the 1909-S VDB, but still a significant first-year coin. |
| 22 | 1909 | S | San Francisco Mint, but without the VDB initials. | $20 – $200+ | Still a low-mintage early “S” mint coin. |
| 23 | 1911 | S | Low mintage for the San Francisco Mint (4,015,000) | $15 – $150+ | Early “S” mints are generally more valuable. |
| 24 | 1912 | S | Low mintage for the San Francisco Mint (4,431,000) | $15 – $150+ | Another low-mintage early “S” mint. |
| 25 | 1913 | S | Low mintage for the San Francisco Mint (6,101,000) | $10 – $100+ | Consistent lower mintage for early “S” cents. |
| 26 | 1914 | S | Low mintage for the San Francisco Mint (4,137,000) | $10 – $100+ | Continues the trend of scarcer early “S” cents. |
| 27 | 1915 | S | Low mintage for the San Francisco Mint (4,833,000) | $10 – $100+ | Another collectible early “S” mint. |
| 28 | 1924 | D | Lower mintage for the Denver Mint (2,520,000) | $10 – $100+ | Not as prominent as 1914-D but still a good find. |
| 29 | 1926 | S | Lower mintage for the San Francisco Mint (4,550,000) | $10 – $100+ | A scarcer “S” mint from the mid-20s. |
| 30 | 1930 | S | Lower mintage for the San Francisco Mint (24,390,000) | $1 – $20+ | While higher mintage than earlier “S” cents, still collectible due to relative scarcity. |
| 31 | 1933 | No Mint Mark | Lower mintage (14,400,000) due to Depression | $1 – $20+ | Lowest mintage for a Philadelphia cent in the 1930s. |
| 32 | 1937 | No Mint Mark | Minor doubling on date/legends | $5 – $50+ | A recognized DDO, though less dramatic than the major ones. |
| 33 | 1941 | No Mint Mark | Minor doubling on date/legends | $5 – $50+ | Another subtle DDO worth checking for. |
| 34 | 1942 | D | “D” mintmark is visibly punched twice, creating an overlap. | $2 – $20+ | Common type of error, look for clear doubling of the mintmark. |
| 35 | 1946 | S | “S” mintmark punched over a “D” mintmark. | $5 – $50+ | A classic over-mint mark error often requires magnification. |
| 36 | 1951 | S | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | Check carefully with magnification. |
| 37 | 1956 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | Less pronounced than the 1955 DDO, but still a recognized variety. |
| 38 | 1960 | D | “D” mintmark visibly punched twice. | $1 – $10+ | A common but collectible RPM for this year. |
| 39 | 1971 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | Another DDO from the early 70s. |
| 40 | 1981 | S | Proof coin with a particularly clear and well-formed “S” mintmark. | $5 – $50+ | A variety within the proof series. Compare to the more common “Type I” blurry “S.” |
| 41 | 1984 | No Mint Mark | Doubling on date and “LIBERTY.” | $10 – $100+ | A less famous but still collectible DDO. |
| 42 | 1984 | No Mint Mark | Doubling on memorial steps/roof. | $10 – $100+ | Often seen on the right side of the Lincoln Memorial. |
| 43 | 1995 | No Mint Mark | Clear doubling on “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST.” | $10 – $100+ | One of the more recognized modern DDOs. |
| 44 | 1917 | S | Lower mintage for San Francisco (27,720,000) | $1 – $20+ | Continues the trend of scarcer early “S” cents. |
| 45 | 1921 | S | Lower mintage for San Francisco (15,220,000) | $1 – $20+ | Another “S” mint from the 20s with relatively low production. |
| 46 | 1923 | S | Lower mintage for San Francisco (26,020,000) | $1 – $20+ | Scarcer than its Philadelphia counterpart. |
| 47 | 1927 | S | Lower mintage for San Francisco (14,400,000) | $1 – $20+ | Good find for an “S” from the 20s. |
| 48 | 1928 | S | Lower mintage for San Francisco (17,650,000) | $1 – $20+ | Another collectible “S” cent. |
| 49 | 1939 | D | Lower mintage for Denver (58,360,000) | $1 – $10+ | Not extremely rare, but still a good lower mintage D. |
| 50 | 1940 | D | Lower mintage for Denver (40,890,000) | $1 – $10+ | Similar to 1939-D, a bit scarcer. |
| 51 | 1945 | D | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | A recognized DDO for the war era. |
| 52 | 1953 | S | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | Check for doubling with magnification. |
| 53 | 1959 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | First year of the Lincoln Memorial reverse, look closely. |
| 54 | 1964 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | Another DDO to keep an eye out for. |
| 55 | 1968 | S | Found on proof coins. | $10 – $100+ | Look for doubling on “LIBERTY” and date on proof strikes. |
| 56 | 1969 | No Mint Mark | Less dramatic than 1969-S, but still valuable. | $10 – $100+ | Worth checking all 1969 cents for doubling. |
| 57 | 1971 | S | Found on proof coins. | $10 – $100+ | Another valuable proof DDO. |
| 58 | 1988 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on date/legends. | $5 – $50+ | A modern DDO to look for in your change. |
| 59 | 1996 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on “LIBERTY” and date. | $5 – $50+ | Another modern DDO. |
| 60 | 1997 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling on “LIBERTY” and date. | $5 – $50+ | Keep an eye out for this relatively recent DDO. |
| 61 | 2006 | No Mint Mark | Subtle doubling, particularly on Lincoln’s eye. | $5 – $50+ | Known as the “Spitting Lincoln” variety for some. |
| 62 | 2007 | D | Subtle doubling on “LIBERTY” and date. | $5 – $50+ | Modern DDO from Denver. |
| 63 | 2009 | D | Doubling on reverse design, specifically the log cabin. | $5 – $50+ | Part of the Bicentennial designs, look for doubling on the reverse. |
| 64 | 2009 | P | Doubling on reverse design, specifically the log cabin. | $5 – $50+ | Same as above, but from the Philadelphia mint. |
| 65 | 2001 | D | Lincoln Cent obverse paired with Roosevelt Dime reverse. | $100,000+ | EXTREMELY RARE. Only a few are known. Verify the reverse design is a dime, not a penny. |
All You Know For Most Valuable Lincoln Penny Coins
If you notice a penny, try to remember not to think of it only as a penny but a jackpot. Pay more attention and analyze the picture carefully this time. A coin could be a bit of US history and valuable, an unusual error or a rare penny, a considerable pile of cash! Collecting Lincoln pennies is like a fun search since significant discoveries can be seen in small, copper pennies.
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James Foster is a passionate writer at KnitCrate.com, specializing in finance, taxation, and public aid topics. With a knack for breaking down complex subjects, he delivers clear and insightful content for readers worldwide. When he’s not writing, James enjoys exploring economic trends and staying updated on global news.