We know that some old coins are very precious because of their rarity. Here is a list of some particularly valuable pennies. Check your purse to see if there are any expensive coins!
1. 1873 Doubled 'Closed 3' Indian Head Penny - $12,650
"Closed 3" means the loops of the number 3 on coins are so close to each other and look like the number 8. This designation depends on which kind of numeral is used in the die. There are only about one million of these "closed 3" coins.
2. 1793 Flowing Hair Liberty Cap Large Cent Penny - $19,950
The Flowing Hair large cent started to be produced in 1793, and the Liberty Cap style was the third version of the Flowing Hair coin. In 1796, it was replaced by the Draped Bust coin. Hence, it has become very rare and valuable in today's market. In 2019, this coin was sold on eBay for $19,950.
3. 1922 Lincoln No D Strong Reverse And Weak Obverse Wheat Penny - $48,000
The "No D" variety is the rarest and most valuable type of coin, which has no trace of the mint mark. But the image on the reverse of this coin is not very clear, which can reduce the value of it. In 2018, Heritage Auctions sold one of the 1922 Lincoln No D coins for $48,000.
4. 1922-D Lincoln, No D, Strong Reverse, Die Pair 2 - $63,000
The Denver Mint was the only mint to strike pennies in 1922. However, this "No D" coin has no trace of the mint mark due to the damaged die. Hence, it has become valuable due to its rarity. The image on the other side of this coin is sharper since the die used for the reverse was a new one.
5. 1914-S Lincoln Penny - $105,800
This variety of coins were mainly minted at the San Francisco Mint. This one seems to have been properly stored due to its bright color and clear surface. In 2006, this pristine penny was sold for $105,800.
6. 1944-D Lincoln Penny - $115,000
This coin was accidentally made on a zinc-coated steel planchet, which shouldn't have been used in 1944. Therefore, these kinds of coins are really rare, and there are no more than 10 in the world. In 2007, Heritage Auctions sold an uncirculated one for $115,000.
7. 1969-S Lincoln Penny Doubled Die Obverse - $126,500
Lincoln pennies that were produced from 1959 to 1982 are more valuable because they are almost 100 percent copper, rather than an alloy. "Doubled" means the images or texts on the coins have the shadow images because of the improperly prepared dies. Although this was a mistake, this variety is still very valuable due to its rarity. It was finally sold for $126,500.
8. 1872 Indian Head Penny - $126,500
This coin is one of the most perfect 1872 Indian Head pennies, which was made by a fresh coin die and has been well protected. It is worth big bucks due to its faultless appearance. In 2007, Heritage Auctions sold it in Milwaukee for $126,500.
9. 1926-S Lincoln Penny - $149,500
This coin has also become valuable because of its rarity. In 2006, the Heritage Auctions in Orlando sold this uncirculated 1926 penny for $149,500.
10. 1877 Indian Head Penny - $149,500
This coin is the rarest Indian Head penny, because only 852,500 were made due to an economic recession that started in 1873. In 2007, a coin with the original copper-red color was sold by Heritage Auctions in Milwaukee for $149,500.
11. 1914-D Lincoln Penny - $158,625
Different from other coins, most pennies of this variety are in circulation. In this case, a mint-condition example is rare, which makes it more valuable in today's market. In 2018, an uncirculated, red Denver Mint penny was sold online for $158,625.
12. 1864 Indian Head Penny With 'L' On The Ribbon - $161,000
This kind of penny can date back to 1859. There were about 5 million of these coins produced, but only a few remain in uncirculated condition. This coin is one of them, and it was sold in 2011 for $161,000.
13. 1856 Flying Eagle Penny - $172,500
The Flying Eagle style was only produced from 1856 to 1858, and there were only 2,000 of them made in 1856. In 2004, Heritage Auctions sold one in pristine condition for $172,500.
14. 1943 Bronze Lincoln Penny - $204,000
Uniquely, this coin was not in mint condition because it was mistakenly made in bronze. In 1947, a teen found it in his pocket. This particular coin was sold for the first time by Heritage Auctions in 2019 for $204,000.
15. 1909 V.D.B. Matte Proof Lincoln Penny - $258,500
In 1909, the first Lincoln pennies were produced. The mark of "V.D.B." on the bottom are the initials of the designer, but it was deleted later due to some complaints about it. Different from others, this particular coin was made by a matte proof die, which is used for fewer strikes. In 2014, Heritage Auctions in Chicago sold one in excellent condition for $258,500.
16. 1943-S Lincoln Cent - $282,000
This Lincoln cent should have been produced by a zinc-plated steel planchet but was mistakenly made in bronze. Noteworthily, it is said to be the "second-finest certified 1943-S bronze cent." Its value is self-evident. In 2016, it was sold at Heritage Auctions in California for $282,000.
17. 1958 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Penny - $336,000
As we've mentioned before, the doubled die coin is the result of the minting error. However, this coin is extremely rare because there are only 3 coins of this variety in the world. It was sold at Stacks Bowers Galleries Auction at the Baltimore Coin Show in 2018 for $336,000.
18. 1944-S Lincoln Steel Penny - $373,750
This coin was accidentally made by the zinc-plated steel planchet, which should not have been used in 1944. Its rarity makes it valuable. In 2008, an uncirculated coin in zinc was sold at Heritage Auctions in Baltimore for $373,750.
19. 1943 Bronze Lincoln Penny - Over $1 Million
Again, this penny was also mistakenly made in bronze. Importantly, it is the only certified "red" penny to be coined at the Philadelphia Mint in 1943. In 2018, It was sold in a private sale in Florida for over $1 Million.
20. 1943-D Lincoln Bronze Penny - $1,700,000
This coin is the only one that was struck in bronze alloy instead of zinc-plated steel in 1943. The "D" on the coin means it was minted in Denver. This particular coin was sold in 2010 for $1,700,000.
