Search Results for: pennies

Technically, pennies aren't very useful today. They help fill in those odd numbers when paying in cash. But the cost of making them versus their value is harder to stomach. But that doesn't mean each penny isn't worth something more in surprising ways. In fact, some pennies from the past far out-value their current versions. This is for a number of reasons related to sheer history and the passage of time, to the methods used to make them and their design. If you have some of these pennies, hold on to them, and definitely don't use them to buy anything, because they're likely worth way more than one cent. The 1943 Copper Wheat Penny This simple coin comes with an impressive price tag. Owners of this penny could earn a value of up to $82,500, according to Ranker. Surprisingly, it doesn't have a very regal beginning. The 1943 Copper Wheat Penny was made from leftover copper in the mint machines. RELATED: What The Value Of A Dollar Could Buy In The 1960s But despite these humble beginnings, it's worth a lot. That's in part because there are reportedly only 40 in existence. Needless to say, finding one - and a real one, too - is a challenge. Counterfeiters are all too eager to manipulate other pennies by changing dates, so be wary. 1877 Indian Head Penny In contrast to the previous penny mentioned, the 1877 Indian Head Penny was deliberately made, instead of the product of leftovers. Even so, there's a limited number of them, though their numbers far exceed its Copper Wheat Counterpart. In 1877, 850,000 coins got made, and even fewer of these may be out in the world, each worth around $367 to $3,000 or more. 1877 actually represents a rather slow year for penny production, especially compared to previous years when far more were made. The 1955 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Wheat Penny It has a very long name, but this coin also has a versatile price tag. A base price places this at around $700. However, The Spruce Crafts reports that one sold at auction for $50,000. This year marked a pretty big mistake among coin producers. This coin resulted in an unaligned die, which rumors suggest occurred overnight. Employees did not notice the mistake until after making a bunch. Ultimately, though, they left them to circulate. Out in people's wallets, they became known for their doubling at the edges. About 24,000 out of 10 million total drew people's attention for their errors, and about 15,000 may still be out there. The Flying Eagle Penny of 1858...or was it 7? Nothing draws people's fascinations quite like mistakes. Collectors love this obviously messed up penny, despite its flaws, and are willing to party with $760 or more to get one. The fastest way to distinguish one of these is by looking at the date. It should way 1858...or 7... Actually, that strange date is what makes this so unique.The 7 and 8 overlap. Instead of using this penny for one cent, keep it and potentially earn $1000. 1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat Penny Things get even more pleasantly pricey with this 1909 penny featuring the emancipator himself. Lincoln is a fitting president to have on this coin since Theodore Roosevelt wanted some changes for the penny overall and wanted to overhaul it completely. To do this, he turned to artist Victor David Brenner. At the time, and to an extent even today, it stood as the first occasion Lincoln appeared on the penny. But something else also appeared on the humble penny: the artist's initials, VDB. Rather than giving Brenner free (or, one-cent) advertising, the penny got scrapped. If you have one of the 500,000 allowed to mint, you could get $950 or more for it. Read onto the NEXT page for more pennies you possibly have in your own home... 1873 'Open 3' Indian Head Penny: quantity over quality This coin carries less of a financial bonus by itself but exists in greater numbers, so it balances out there. Initially, an Open 3 penny of this type can get around $22 to $344. That isn't too much per coin, but Ranker reports that among this iteration is more common, so it may be more likely you have one compared to the Closed 3 coin. What's the difference? Well, the ends of the 3 in the Open 3 don't come as close as they do in what is dubbed the Closed 3 penny. This simple but meaningful difference changes the number's appearance and affects the coin's value. 1856 Flying Eagle Penny Not to be confused with the 1857/8 Flying Eagle Penny, the 1856 one shows that quality does matter. While those improperly minted coins could earn a generous $1000, the 1856 one is estimated to be worth $6,500 or more. Yet again, quantity plays a role here. Only 700 got made at first. Only Congress members and other officials got one. After the coin's success, 3000 more entered the mix. In a rare bout of flexibility, these pennies are actually pretty valuable no matter the condition. No 'D' Plain Lincoln Wheat Penny of 1922 Stretch back in time several decades, back to the Roaring Twenties. It was a time of partying and contemplating, scandals and flourishing. It was also a time for some subdued but significant penny minting. At that time, Denver Mint was the only one performing this task. Traditionally, pennies minted here would have a "D" for Denver on them. A mishap with the coin die made some not have a "D" present, however. These are the ones that can net owners $900 to $28,000 or more. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny If you have one of these pennies, hold on to it! It could get you anywhere between $75,000 to $110,000. By the year this came into circulation, copper became part of pennies, in addition to recycled ammunition shells. At first, it may seem like a lot of these are out there - two billion - dropping the price. But really, only some have a certain important difference. Only about 30 coins are unique thanks to extra planchets left in the machine when they were made. The 1943-S Copper Lincoln Wheat Penny This is the coin you want to be on the lookout for, whether you're a coin enthusiast or someone who wouldn't mind hundreds of thousands of dollars. In fact, the estimated base price is #185,000, but Texas Rangers co-chair Bob R. Simpson bought one in 2012 for $1 million. This 1943 coin featuring Lincoln was the result of a series of interesting circumstances all culminating in a unique coin. By 1943, minting involved planchets made of steel and coated in zinc. However, some had copper still, so the coins were struck atop these still. But finding one may be a bigger deal, as there are a grand total of...five! Review some of these valuable pennies and more in the video below. It could be very worthwhile!