By CoinWeek UPDATED…..
Lincoln Cents, the most popularly collected series of coins produced by the United States, marks their 115th year of production in 2024. Throughout that time, the U.S. Mint has struck over 540 billion one-cent coins and is expected to produce eight billion more this year.
The “commonness” of Lincoln Cents helped make collecting them a favorite pastime for Americans, especially during the Great Depression when money was tight. Indeed, collecting Lincoln Cents has been widely considered a rite of passage for generations of coin collectors.
But while many of these coins are quite common (like the pennies in that jar full of loose change that you may have tucked away), some Lincoln Cents are quite rare and extremely valuable. It is because of these coins that building a complete set of Lincoln Cents is out of reach for most of us. Even those with the resources to buy any coin they want will find that building a complete set can take a lifetime – as it did for collector Stewart Blay, whose amazing collection GreatCollections sold in January 2023 for record prices.
Do you want to know which Lincoln Cents are the most interesting or valuable? We present CoinWeek’s picks for the “Top 11” Lincoln Cents.
#11. 1992 Close AM: A Rare Cent That Can Be Found in Change
1972 is a fascinating year for die study. Not only did the United States Mint make two mid-year changes to the circulation strike Eisenhower Dollar, but several obverse dies of the 1972 Lincoln Memorial Cent were produced with dramatic doubling. With modern coins gaining in popularity, the most dramatic of these doubled dies are enthusiastically pursued and have good upside if found in high grade with full Red color.
NGC graded the above example MS66RD, which was enough to drive the bidding of this otherwise common cent to $1,140, when Stack’s Bowers sold the coin this past March.
#10. 1992 Close AM: A Rare Cent That Can Be Found in Change
In 1992, the United States Mint re-cut the Lincoln Cent reverse master hub to sharpen the details and create a better strike. And while the design remained nearly identical, the lettering in the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA was shifted slightly. In the older design, the letters “AM” are separated; in the new version, these letters are almost touching. Intended for release in 1993, several new reverse dies were nonetheless used in 1992 by both the Philadelphia and Denver mints (there are roughly a dozen examples of the 1992-D Close AM known, the first discovered in December 2001 by collector Colin Kusch). The 1992 Philadelphia Close AM is slightly rarer. First discovered in May 2006 by Michigan coin collector Parker Ogilvie, there are roughly 10 known examples.
#9. 1922 No D: An Error That Looks Like Something It Isn’t
In 1922, only Denver produced Lincoln Cents. Why, then, do 1922 cents without mintmarks exist? The answer is complicated.
When the die shop at the Philadelphia Mint produces dies for the branch mints, it adds a letter or series of letters to the coin to denote the branch mint of origin. Excepting the 1942-45 “War” Nickels, coins struck at the main mint did not carry a mintmark. This changed in 1979 with the release of the Susan B. Anthony Dollar. Other denominations followed, but outside of a few limited instances, Lincoln Cents struck at the Philadelphia Mint do not carry a mintmark.
As originally shipped, all dies used to strike 1922 cents at the Denver Mint did have a mintmark punch applied to the dies, including the 1922 No D.
Technically this is not a true variety but a die state. As is often the case, dies become damaged during use. If a die is repairable, a mint worker might efface the die to remove the damage (such as clash marks). In this instance, the “D” mintmark was polished off the die accidentally.
While the 1922 Denver mintage of cents stands at just over seven million coins, this die state accounts for a mere fraction of the total number. They are rare and often faked, and interested collectors should ensure they purchase only certified examples.
#8. 1914-D: A Low-Mintage Regular Issue That Slipped Through the Cracks
Having one of the smallest mintages–second only to the 1909-S VDB and the 1931-S–the 1914-D Lincoln Cent is one of the key dates for the entire series.
In 1913, the Denver Mint struck nearly 16 million coins and in 1915 it made over 22 million. And while Philadelphia struck over 75 million cents in 1914 and San Francisco produced over four million, Denver struck only 1,193,000 coins – a very low mintage, even for Denver. Further, PCGS Coinfacts estimates that only about 10% of this original mintage survives. We believe that this number is wildly optimistic and that perhaps fewer than 50,000 exist in desirable grades; thank the penny board craze of the 1930s for inspiring collectors to put aside even that many.
By 1957, high-grade examples of the 1914-D were selling for as much as $210 ($2,347.93 adjusted for inflation). Most of these are from a hoard of 700 pieces that came to market in that decade.
#7. 1944 Steel Cent: An Off-Metal Error Highly Regarded by Collectors
A companion off-metal error to the 1943 Bronze Cent, the 1944 Steel Cent was produced when the Mint switched to copper planchets made from recycled shell casings in 1944.
There are two possible ways that 1944 Steel Cents were struck at the Philadelphia Mint: either old 1943 steel planchets slipped into the production line or steel blanks intended for foreign coinage did. The latter wasn’t possible at Denver or San Francisco as neither facility struck zinc-coated steel coins for foreign governments that year. Consequently, while there are 25 to 30 known Philadelphia coins and seven known from Denver, there are only two known from San Francisco.
As Fred Weinberg, Mint Error Specialist/Consultant for PCGS noted, these coins have the unfair reputation of being the “poor sister of the more famous 1943 Copper Cent.” Instead, they should be viewed as fascinating and rare pieces in their own right!
#6. 1909-S VDB: A Controversial Low-Mintage Issue With Quite a Story
For the longest time, this coin was considered the “King of Lincoln Cents”. The 1909-S VDB is the San Francisco striking of Victor David Brenner’s original approved design.
1909 marked the centennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth, and to honor him, the Mint debuted a stunning new coin design featuring Lincoln on the obverse and two wheat stalks on the reverse. Brenner adapted his obverse effigy from an earlier medal. The wheat reverse was a simpler (dare we say, more modern) interpretation of the traditional wreath design.
Brenner was not a Mint artist and thought the coin design would propel his career forward. The inclusion of his initials on the final design was not untoward or unusual for medalists or sculptors. The American public, however–with the help of the media–saw the initials as self-aggrandizing, and the Treasury Department quickly sought their removal. The Mint pulled Brenner’s initials within days, and only 484,000 of the 2,309,000 cents stuck at the San Francisco Mint in that year have the VDB. This makes the 1909-S VDB the rarest circulating-issue Lincoln Cent.
#5. 1955 Doubled Die Cent: A Cent With a Striking Error That Will Make You See Double
The 1955 Doubled Die variety is quite dramatic and was instantly sought after upon its discovery. The doubling was caused when the position of the die rotated slightly between impressions from the hub. It is most notable on the motto IN GOD WE TRUST and the word LIBERTY, as well as the date 1955.
The day these coins were struck, three cent presses were operating at the Philadelphia Mint. All dumped their completed coins into one box. The inspector failed to notice the defective die until over 40,000 pieces were struck, by which time 24,000 specimens of the variety were intermingled with non-defective coins. Sixteen thousand pieces were isolated and then melted, but the rest were released into standard circulation. Many were famously paid out as change in cigarette vending machines.
#4. 1969-S Doubled Die Cent: A Rare Doubled Die Error Still Found in Change
As with the 1955 Doubled Die Cent, this coin was created by a blundered die. The 1969-S Doubled Die is much rarer than the 1955, with fewer than 40 examples certified. This surviving population is so small because the offending die was discovered quite quickly.
But collectors beware! Virtually no sooner had it been discovered than the 1969-S fell victim to a counterfeiting scheme. In 1969, Roy Gray and Morton Goodman worked together to create several fakes, including the 1969 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent. Reportedly, some authentic examples also got caught up in the Secret Service’s hunt for the Gray/Goodman counterfeits and were destroyed.
The main way to tell authentic 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse Cents from fakes is that the real coins will not have doubled mintmarks. This was because the mintmark was punched into the die by hand after the doubling occurred.
Honorable Mention – 1960 Small Date: A Coin That Started a Collecting Boom
Before we get to the top three, here’s an honorable mention for a coin that was important to the growth of the hobby as we know it today.
The U.S. Mint updated the master dies for the Lincoln Cent midyear in 1960. As with the 1992 Close AM above, dies of both the old and new styles were put into use. Unlike the 1992 Close AM, however, far more of the older Small Date coins were struck and released, making the variety much more collectible.
As soon as collectors became aware of the situation, interest in the variety exploded and astute dealers were more than eager to sell the coins. Incidentally, the 1960 Small Date Lincoln Cent is often called the coin that launched Coin World. By the mid-1960s, the variety was selling for almost $10 each – quite a sum for the time.
#3. 1983 Bronze Cent: A New Transitional Rarity Emerges
By the early 1980s, the Mint had finally decided to permanently change the composition of its cent planchets in order to save money due to rising copper prices. Not going as far as using aluminum (a kind of Lincoln Cent that does exist but that you most definitely cannot find in change), in August 1982 the Mint switched a planchet made of a 99.2% zinc core plated with pure copper.
But somehow, a few planchets of the old copper composition were struck in 1983, the first full year of the new “Zincoln“. To emphasize their rarity, it took over 23 years for a roll-searching collector to discover the first of these new transitional off-metal errors. Nearly 20 years later, only a handful have been pulled from circulation.
How much are they worth? On July 28, 2024, GreatCollections sold the finest known example for a record $26,000 – almost $4,000 more than the discovery coin sold for in 2013.
How rare are they? No one knows for sure, but there are more 1943 Bronze Cents known at this time than 1983s.
#2. 1958 Doubled Die: The King of the Lincoln Cent Doubled Dies
The 1958 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent is a controversial coin. It is also one of the most valuable. The “king” of the Lincoln Cent doubled dies, only three examples are known. The doubling is dramatic, with the legend LIBERTY and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST being the most pronounced.
The coins were discovered in 1960, reportedly by Philadelphia collector Charles Ludovico. The rarity of the issue caused many to wonder whether these were intentional Mint products or even forgeries. When the Mint was allowed to study Ludovico’s specimen, they determined that the coin was authentic. In the 1990s, a Mint State example of this elusive coin traded for just over $25,000 – a bargain, given that the variety has since sold for over one million dollars.
#1. 1943 Bronze Cent: The “Holy Grail” of Lincoln Cent Mint Errors
At number one is the most coveted of all Lincoln Cent error coins: the 1943 Bronze Cent. Struck during World War II, this error coin was created when the United States made cents from zinc-coated steel planchets as it diverted its copper stockpile for the war effort.
While most current literature points to general war scarcity, some numismatists believe that this switch in metals was intended to instill a sense of ownership and sacrifice to the war effort on the part of ordinary citizens. Regardless, the U.S. Mint adopted the new planchet type for only one year. Unlike at the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints, where it is thought that some old 1942 planchets accidentally remained in the coin press feeding bins, no such error occurred at the Denver Mint. The only known 1943-D Bronze Cent is thought to have been struck by a Mint worker for his collection. With extremely fine detail, it is believed that this coin was struck twice.
A conflicting story states that th1943-D was struck by United States Mint Chief Engraver John R. Sinnock. This particular coin was not discovered until much later, when it was examined by ANACS in 1979. The coin sold in 2021 by Heritage Auctions for $840,000.
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Hello, My name is Greg Mellon, I own MELLONPATCH4 COINS & COLLECTABLES. I sell many knives pocketknives and Hunting all brands etc; I also buy sell and appraise U.S. coins. I was disabled 30 years ago +.- so these two items are what I enjoy, and they keep me busy and help with my pain. The coins do I can take my mind off the pain while working with them. Of the 10 Lincoln Cents you show I have them all but the last 3. Over my years of dealing with coins I have had problems with grading services, yes the big boys. I ‘d sent in coins and get them back cleaned, Genuine but no grade everything you don’t want to hear or see. I found a dealer in NE and we became friends I told him about this issue, he asked me to send him my coins I did. He sent them in and all of them were graded. He had hundreds of coins graded a year I a handful, now you can take this several ways, I just stopped dealing with them and my friend has since pasted. I do not know how many people out there have had what happened to myself, my point is there could be more of these coins then you believe sitting just like mine because of my distaste for grading services. I am also a life member of the ANA, and listed in the dealer directory to give you an idea of myself. I read the Numismatic News every month, I also get the Numismatist monthly and read both. I have written my opinions to the News and it was printed, but I have not told either of my issue, years have pasted and today I might get a different result. I am the type of person that when burned by people, companies I remember and just stop dealing with. I have many coins graded by the services I am speaking of. One holder has the wrong coin in it and I did try to have this fixed I was told ay my expense, so I still have it. Does that say anything about my finally writing to you and telling my tales of woe, I do not want to say story that could be taken wrong. To wrap this up, I found these coins I only brought the 1955 double die, and I am still looking for the 69-S, 58 and the 43 bronze, I can’t tell you how many 1943 coins I have weighed. thank you I hope you enjoy this Greg Mellon
Thank you Greg for the article, I only started a few years ago collecting coins but really got interested last year and will continue to explore.
I have the69s the43bronze . I have no clue who to trust with them for grading, I would rather sell them with no issues. I never check my email.
Well you would have to send a picture with the 43 on a scale and a picture of the 69s and clear Pic not a blurry one then we can talk or if anyone else that thinks they have the real pennies
I have a coin that is rare and makes sense. In 1944 the mints were using shell ammunition left over on a certain number of them. I have a 1944 bronze steel penny and I need to have it graded. But this one is in good shape and has metal in it because a magnet picks it up. Who should I send it to to grade. The weight diameter and everything else matches up.
PCGS for grading.
What was the final verdict on that steel copper penny you had?
I have 1960 small Date and large Date ther are quite a few in mint condition also came across 1992D close AM in mint condition I have also a few 1982D weight 3.l also a 1942/1 mercury dime 1974 Half Dollar silver a few 1969s and more.
I’ve read that there’s only been 2 or 3 of the 82d small dates, weighing 3.1, that have been verified and graded.
I also have 69s
Hey greg! My name is Ray, I’m from Los Angeles and recently purchased a lot from a ebay seller. In the lot of incomplete lincoln cents 1909-58 there was a copper 1943. Now the coin looks and weighs correct! However as you examine the date you begin to see the 9 4 and 3 get flatter no detail mush like a strike through greese would! Also the 3 being the weekest struck also has suspicious marks. The style of the 3 looks correct. The color looks aged brown correct. What do you think? Hopefully i can add photos to this reply.
Have your coin inspected by an expert. There are numerous fakes created by altering the last digit of a 1945 cent.
Like your story I’m 52 and also find peace in collecting pennies thanks for sharing about the big coin I was about to get one graded maybe I can share it some time.
Hi Greg, my name is Michelle Greiser. I was just reading up on what’s wanted in coins. I’ve got a lot of pennies. I have 69S and it looks like doubling but I can’t afford to get it graded. Sounds like you had a time with all this too in the past, I’m starting over again in collecting.. I thought about doing what other people are doing and putting them in eBay , Heritage or Internet selling groups ..but when I I look at what the asking price ..& what they say they have ..? it seems like it’s all a con game. Disappointed me. lately just for the thrill of ..”maybe I missed that special coin.. “ thought..(I don’t know what I wld do if I found something spectacular lol.) but, These days ..I spend quite a bit of time going through my Many Penny, jars. It gives me ..comfort. eventually, I just glaze over and put everything back for another day of .. Until I read something like this ..I think I might have that one and start looking again! It never bothers me honest… I’ve tried buying Individual paper covers and Plastic sheets of separation and the various coin books even writing every penny down and The anomalies..I’m not very organized .. I love my pennies! ( my dog pouts .lol. ) thanks for reading!
I have a 1976 d Lincoln cent with a double die on the obverse side of in God We Trust and liberty, also have a 1984 quarter that I’ve heard was one to look for, any knowledge of these would be appreciated, thank you
I’m having the same issue! In your opinion, which grading service should I go to?
Hello greg.??
Hi Mr. Mellon, I’m writing you in hopes that you may have some insight into a 1920 wheat penny I have which appears to not have the detailed wheat inscription inside the wreaths. I was thinking that would be a one of a kind major error, but having trouble finding out anything, any info. Would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
Hello Greg Mellon, my name is Mr. Shawn Gater (Gator) I have been collecting coins for several years back since 1990:) I have several rare 1983 Double Die coins in mint condition. They are not graded but fabulous looking coins, I have (2) 1969 S coins but I’m not sure if they are the Doubled dated rare ones as I am not a coin dealer. many years ago, when I was a young man 18 yrs. old, I worked for the Denver Mint as a coin inspector when I got out of the Marine Corps a temporary position for several months. checking for double dated coins etc. I have many 1982 small date Lincoln cents mint condition not graded perhaps you could help me with some appraisals or advice as I agree with you about coin grading services I don’t trust!!
I’m new at this and I red your comment witch I find very interesting, I have a small collections of coins, some of them are rare and I would like to have an expert opinion about that so I decided to write to you about it.
One of them is i943 1 cent in mint condition and the rarity of it is that look like is brilliant iron (I’m not sure about metal that is made and I’m going to try to send you a picture of it.
I my name Marisol I have 1917s-1989 wheat pennies o have pictures
I have 1943 &1944 pennies mixed with a silver metal. I have a patriotic quarter 1776-1976. I have a number of silver Eisenhower dollars. Also some with 1776-1976
I have a 1943 silver penny that is magnetic, I was curious are those rare? And a 1776-1976 bicentennial drummer boy quarter and was curious about it.
Thanks
You have a small fortune if that truly is a 43 steel penny get it graded don’t clean it in anything but warm water and mild soap. I’ve been collecting for over 20 years get it graded to make sure what you have is really worth a small fortune the higher the grade the better the price at Auction.
I got like 500 of them really
@JML518 Please check your facts – 1943-date steel cents are NOT rare! Over a billion were made. The rare issues, as noted in the article, occurred in 1944.
If it’s magnetic it is steel wheat penny 1943 it’s not silver silver is not magnetic
I also have a 1943 silver looking penny. 1944 steel penny 1922 D wheat, 1919 wheat penny, 1969 S penny, 1964 silver quarter, 5 – 2009 Sacagawea dollar cheerios coins, 1776-1976 quarters and dollar pieces, and others.
Very cool .I’ve been collecting the wheat cents for awhile now and just recently found a 1935 that intrigued me. What caught my eye was liberty . It has a upside down Y were the L should be. Ive showed it to a few collectors and microscoped and its definitely a y. Any info on this would be awesome
I have a 1982sm is it worth anything
Does it weight 3.1 grans
‘1982 if it weights 2.6 you have a test strike ! most weight 3.1
if you have a ‘1983 that weights 2.6 worth a few bucks but if you have one that weights 3.1 you have 12-20 grand higher the grade better the price !
43 they made steel penny and used the copper for the war..but if it was only copper but in 44 they went back to copper if you had a 44 steel…money!!
R there any valuable quarters
What ones and how much do they sell for
I have Abraham Lincoln copper penny 1939,me I know is this rare coin or have value
@Arman P. Alcoseba 1939 is a common year for Lincoln cents. Unless it’s in uncirculated condition its value will range from a few cents to a dollar, depending on mint mark and condition. When valuing coins, age _can_ be a factor but isn’t always a significant one.
I got a 1987 penny the 1 and the 8 smaller then the 9 and 7 and it don’t have any letters under the date
Hi Larry I have quiet a few wheat pennies should I send pictures
This posting was terrific, and it was backed up by a factual accounting of the information that I have always read. Thank you for the nice photos.
I have 1900-1990
I have 1943 one penny it doesn’t catch magnet,is it worth anything?
If legit, you’ll never work another day in your life.
If it says “ONE PENNY” it’s not a US cent. It would most likely be a coin from a country in the then-British Empire.
A coin that says ONE PENNY is not a US cent. It’s most likely from a country in the then-British Empire, but without more information it’s not possible to estimate a value.
Well my name is Michael Pettaway and I have a 1943 steel cent who do I talk or see?
Unless your coin is in top-quality condition it’s probably worth less than 50¢. Huge numbers sof 1943 steel cents were saved as curiosities and mementos; very few of them are rare. But you DO have a piece of unusual history to use as a conversation-starter, a reminder of when even the lowly 1¢ coin made a sacrifice for the war effort.
Great report
I have a 1943 silver penny that stick’s to a magnet it’s in perfect condition. Who do I contact.
Unfortunately, your coin is not very valuable. Standard 1943 US cents were struck in steel – not silver – so the fact that it sticks (rather than “stick’s”) to a magnet is normal. Depending on condition it might be worth 25¢ to $1.50.
I Have 1958 d double Die penny 1964 double Die
1972 double Die penny 1905 Indian head
1919 1916 1925 1936 1941 1942 1944 1982
1983.nikel 1940 1966 ,1965 1964 1969.
I have several old coins like these. I have a 1943 steel penny. I have die penny’s bouble die pennies. Sure would like to visit with someone about these items.
My name is David Williams and i have a 1943 steel cent. It is in good condition, is it worth anything
1940 Lincoin Penny no mint
Yea I know the feeling who to trust..I have 5 1969s and wheat pennies from 1911to 1958. Plus I have 1960 plus 1958 both double dies.. who do I trust??? I have called heritage they tell me they would give me very little for them..I have went to local shops they tell me pennies aren’t worth much…I have others and if I can’t trust them either pennies how can I trust them at all??? I read on the internet 1969s pennies sold at auction for 125 thousand , I have 5 of them!! Who do I trust????
They could be lying just to see how many of these pennies pop up, and are out in the population. A lot of what is said about these coins always comes back as they are not worth anything after it’s put out there that it was sold for almost a million for a penny. Any thing that sounds to good to be true is not. I have all these ones as well. I’m just gonna sit on them cause I love the history behind each penny there story’s are worth more to me then the penny itself and some have
That special history behind them that’s amazing and priceless. Keep your pennies there worth admiring.
Buddy I’m in the same boat I got 1909 vdb’s the 58 to 1969s 35 34 33 32 31 1960 small day big date 61 62s 63 small and big who do you trust the den of thieves is what they are but I found mine in the old collection in the storage
I have a 1943 copper Pennie on the obverse side it is zinc so the copper was hiding and when they changed to steel that were coated with zinc this little copper Pennie came out of hiding and was coated with zinc what is this one in a million history in the making all I need is an avid coin collector at 90 years old I would like to retire spread the news. Gwen
@Gwen It’s not possible to say without examining your coin, but from your description it sounds as if you have one of the massive number of fake 1943 “copper” cents created by copper-plating ordinary steel cents from that year. [Confession: I remember making several of them in chemistry class after we learned about the reactions used in plating …]
The best tests would be:
> Does your coin stick to a magnet? If yes, then it’s made of steel, not bronze.
> What does it weigh? If it’s around 2.7 gm it’s a steel cent that’s been copper-plated. 3.11 gm means it likely IS bronze and should be examined by an expert.
I have a 1957 D penny
I have at around 10 of the 1940s and 1950s coins (pennies) and some bicentennial quarters along with some change with errors on them I also have one quarter that looks like the face was either shaved off or is a error coin- – How do I get those checked out or sell them??
Michael Valle , I am a collector, for over five yrs , I have most of the wheat pennies, I am also a stamp collector for over 20yrs , comics books ,baseball,football and basketball cards.but Favorite is coins.
I have many stamps and know nothing about them I found them at a Goodwill
I collect coins a friend gave me bag of pennies when I opened it they were all wheat pennies from 43 to 55 what value are they?
Have a 1975 Penney no mint mark.
Let me know if I found a good one.
Yes I have one
Unfortunately your penny (rather than “Penney”) is only worth face value. The lack of a mint mark means it was struck in Philadelphia, along with almost 5.5 *billioin* other cents made that year.
I have complete sets and so many other great key dates , the coin shop that I was told that was the best…..There slung my coins on the counter as I was repeating to them PLEASE PLEASE do not treat them like that , I treat them with respect, they person became more and more disrespectful towards them (my coins) and me . Some received marks due to this .Then they wanted to purchase them by the pound. I think that they underestimated my knowledge about what I brought there.Lucky 3/4 of my fabulous finds were still at my sister… Conclusion: I was the only professional in the room. They got nothing and I went to my release my aggravation at Cage fit . Great work out …
I have a Liberty pennies that has no mint it is a 1973. Is this a rare coin? And is it valuable?
As the article notes, the lack of a mint mark on a US cent means it was made by the Philadelphia mint. They made almost 4 billion cents that year, so it’s only worth a couple of cents for its metal value.
I actually have a 1960 small date. Once i get it graded i will be selling it.
I have a 1943 no mint steel wheat penny, are those worth anything substantial? Thanks in advance
@Tim Blankenship As noted in the article, except for 1965-67, US cents without mint marks are struck at the Philadelphia Mint and are not errors. Over a billion steel cents were struck in 1943 and many were saved as keepsakes or curiosities. Unless your coin is in top-quality condition it’s unlikely to be worth more than 50 cents, +/-
I have1944 steel penny how much are they worth I have with no midmark on it 1943 steel penny there’s no midmark on the other coin if any won’t to let me know please thank you
@Sharen Robbins The key test for 1943 and 1944 cents is whether or not they stick to a magnet:
> !943 steel cents will stick, this is normal. A rare genuine 1943 bronze won’t stick but neither will fakes. If a 1943 cent doesn’t stick it needs to be inspected by an expert.
> The opposite is true for 1944 cents. A genuine 1944 bronze cent will _NOT_ stick, this is normal. A rare 1944 steel cent will stick but so will fakes so these have to be examined in person.
Also as the article explains, US cents without mint marks (rather than “mid marks”) are not errors. The lack of a mint mark merely indicates they were struck in Philadelphia.
Tengo una moneda de 1 centavo Lincold 1990 sin seca…cuanto vale?
1¢. Se ganaron miles de millones.
I have a one cent penny 1919
I’m new at this. I heard about the AM stamping and have looked through a myriad of pennies. It sems that many of the ones I have looked at have the A and M touching. Am I not seeing what I think I’m seeing?
I have a 1909 VDB Lincoln wheat cent with no mint mark in really great condition probably would be graded as Red Brown. From what I’ve seen other coins graded its probably around a 68 or 69 but don’t really know what it will be graded as. Wondering how much this coin could be worth. The last one that I heard about was sold at 258,500.00 in good condition so I think mine should be worth at least that much or maybe more than that
@Robert Barrows: It’s 99.999% certain the valuable 1909 cent you heard about was a San Francisco issue and _not_ from Philadelphia. 1909-S VDB cents are valuable because San Francisco struck fewer than half a million of them; prices for high-end specimens range into the low to mid six digits. However 1909-(P) VDB cents are a lot more common, with almost 28 million struck before Brenner’s initials were removed.
The good news is that your coin could still be worth quite a bit. It would of course need special grading to know an auction value but I’ve seen MS-68 specimens quoted at anywhere from $10K to $45K. Congratulations!
I have a 1964 Jefferson nickel which on the reverse side where it says United States of America the u and the n is complete but from the I in United to the I in America only the top half of the letters are there then the C and A are complete. I looked through thousands and thousands of nickels and never have seen another one like this or even heard about one like it anywhere. So was thinking it could be worth quite a bit from having a mint struck error like that
What you’re describing is almost certainly a filled-die error, which unfortunately is not going to bring much of a premium. The mints churned out enormous numbers of 1964 cents due to hoarding of higher-denomination coins, making minor striking errors much more likely.
What is the process if I have a VERY valuable coin???
I have a 1944 penny w.out Where it was cast. I also have 2 pennies from 1945, one I Think from San Francisco.
The lack of a mint mark is _not_ an error. As the article notes, it simply means the coin was struck (rather than “cast”) in Philadelphia. Large numbers of 1944 and 1945 cents were made; unless yours are in top-quality condition they’re probably worth 5 to 10 cents.
I have found a 1988 penny with no mint mark. Everything I have read doesn’t mention anything else that has to be different. I read that Philadelphia started using a mint mark in 1980, and a handful of their pennies were produced without mint marks. I too have recently become disabled and the coins seemed to calm me. Thank you
Your coin isn’t an error: as the article notes, Philadelphia still doesn’t use a P mint mark on cents except in a few special cases. If you look through other cents in your change you should find more than a few without mint marks.
I have pennys from 1960 to 1995no mint mark and mint mark errors
My name is vern I have collected coins started collecting when I was about 19 I am 48 now still collecting coins I have a lot of wheat penny’s it would be cool to get them graded but to scared to send them off I live in winchester TN is there a place close by I can take them so I don’t have to send them off I also have dimes nickels quarters 2 dollar bills in my collection my favorite is my 2 headed quarter some say it is a game quarter some say it isn’t but still it is cool to have
I have a box of bunch of old coins I found remodeling my grand parents house after they past away got 14-15 1943 steel pennys 1 1944 d bronze wheat penny n a number of other old coins where do I get them graded and n where would I auction them.. think anyone with information about this
I have a 1943 copper penny weighs 3.1 want stick to mag.
I have a 44 no mint marks it worth anything and a 45
@Daniel Smith As the article notes, with a couple of exceptions US cents without mint marks are struck at the Philadelphia Mint and are not errors. Philly made of a billion cents in both of those years; even today they’re worth less than a dime in typical circulated condition.
I got in my change from the store the other day a 1962 D nickel with a ghost letter S in front of the letter D. Help Mrs. Johnson
I have a lot of old coins and some that are made wrong but I don’t know where are how to go bye to see what they are worth if anyone knows if a coun dealer that I can talk to plz let me know
Also a proof Bicentennial Quater in mint condition and alot of othe proof Coins as well in mint condition Half Dollar full dollars and Dimes and nickles proof as well
I have a dime that is the same on both sides.
I assume it’s a Eisenhower dime cause the torch and markings are from that era.
I’ve been told that someone glued two obvers side dimes together which means there should be a line in the middle of it but there isn’t.
And I’m also worried about getting it graded and paying someone to tell me it’s a fake or not getting it back if it’s legitimate error coin.
What do you think???
Modern magicians’ coins are often made using computer-guided machines that make any seam essentially invisible. If you drop the coin on a hard surface it will probably have a duller sound than you’d hear from a standard dime.
To clear up a few things:
> The portrait on the dime depicts Franklin Roosevelt. Eisenhower was on dollar coins from 1971 to 1978.
> The side showing the torch and branches is the reverse, not the obverse.
> All dimes have used the same obverse since 1946.
I just want to know 1 thing, How Do I get my wheat pennies graded,I Want to Sell Them for very fair price.. I really do have an awesome collection of ALL of them I’m a little technically challenged. Can you please help me??? Any advice would greatly be appreciated I’m just very interested in selling and how. Thank You,
I have a 1789 George Washington commerative medallion, i cannot find anything about it? any thoughts?
I have a 1976 d Lincoln cent double die on the obverse side of the IN God We Trust and liberty, u also have a 1984 quarter that I’ve heard some things about and am curious if anyone can help me out with this.
What if you had a lincoln penny but the front of the penny had the back of the penny stamped over lincoln on the front and I can’t see any dates or anything on the front other than what I said
Who should I talk to about this?
I never took up the hobby as an adult but one of my favorite memories of my Father is going thru piles of pennies and finding treasures. I don’t think we ever found anything worth more than a dollar or two but that was huge as a child. Thanks for a great article and fond memories.
I enjoy these articles. They offer some much appreciated information and direction in seeking errors and rarities in pocket change and estate sales too. I’ve been fortunate enough to find a few coins that had some value and are prized in my collection today. Many thanks to CoinWeek.
This is a very interesting article. So much valuable information in the collecting of Lincoln cents.
Here’s to the Penny!
I’ve just in last couple years have gotten into and involved in coin collecting and search coins every chance I weather my own,family member, or even friends. Lol, they kinda looked at me like I was strange at first then I explain how a simple penny could be worth a whole lot more and many different ways it could make the value worth a lot more. I get kind of excited i guess you’d say everything I get change. I have actually found a lot of mint errors on wheat Penny’s all way back to 1909 that I’ve received as change or found laying on the ground. Now I still need to get them graded but they are in pretty good shape and easily readable. Eager for to see what my future coin collecting hobby holds in store for me. I have learned a lot and read a lot about coin collecting and it is actually very interesting, informative as to the history of it, and to me kind of cool too.
I enjoy reading about error coins
i look every time … with the penny on the way out, these gems will be tougher to find .. good luck.
My favorite coins to hunt through
Great article. I was into collecting when I was younger but life got in the way. Now that I am retired this article has rekindled my interest.
Great article except for #11. 1992 Close AM but the description talks about a 1972 DD….