Rare Pennies You Should Hold Onto… Including The 1943 Penny

You might be interested in reading this brief piece on the 1974 Aluminum cent: http://www.bestcoin.com/aluminum-lincoln-cent-penny.htm

Michael,

Your 1951 Lincoln cent is worth about 3 to 5 cents in circulated grades.

In typical grades, a 1943 cent is worth 25 cents to $1, Travis.

Hi Nancy,

The U.S. was making pennies with a zinc core in 1982 — the first year the Mint did that. It’s possible that the outer copper coating that should be on your coin is missing.

Now, if that was done by being dipped in acid (to remove the copper layer) or is an error (which does happen) is something I can’t unfortunately say. It’s also possible that your coin was dipped in or coated with mercury or another kind of metal. There also are school-type experiments that can be done to make a penny look silver…

In the best-case scenario, your coin is an unplated zinc cent error (that is missing the copper layer). That would be worth up to $100.

The “outside-chance” best-case scenario is that your Lincoln cent was struck on a piece of metal intended for a dime. That would be a coin worth around $300… but your coin would also be smaller than a typical one-cent coin (it would, in fact, be dime size).

However, it is most likely that your coin has been experimented on or has been otherwise altered. That would mean the coin is worth just face value.

The best way to find out for sure is to have your coin authenticated by a third-party coin grading company like the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), or the American Numismatic Association Certification Service (ANACS).

I hope I at least helped provide some possibilities as to what your coin is, though.

Terry,

A 1905 Indian cent has a collector value of about $2 to $5 in usual circulated grades. However, it’s face value is still just one cent… So I think you’ll want to hang onto that one for your collection because you won’t be buying a whole lot with that Indian cent if you spend it shopping!

Hello Karen,

The value for your 2 1943 pennies is about 25 cents to $1 each if they are in typical circulated grades. The value goes to about $1.50 each and up if they’re uncirculated.

You can go to a coin dealer to sell them. However, if a trip to a coin dealer is out of the way for you or costs too much in gas and time, you could try and sell them on eBay.

Hi Gary,

Yes, a private individual (or company) put that John F. Kennedy profile stamp on your Lincoln cent. As a novelty coin, these pieces are rather common. Here’s some more information on your coin: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/04/lincoln_jfk_kennedy_penny.php

Hello John,

Let me first reply to the 1944 cent, which is worth about 2 to 5 cents in typical circulated grades.

Now, as for that 1922 cent…

You may have either a 1922 weak-D Lincoln cent or the more elusive (and valuable) 1922 plain cent.

The problem with the 1922 plain cent is that many 1922 cents with a D mint mark (under the date) have been altered to look like the rare 1922 plain cent. This is done by simply removing the mintmark with a grinding tool.

If you can see any obvious traces of the d mint mark, you probably have the 1922 weak-D cent. This is worth around $25 to 50 in lower circulated grades and increases as the coin is in better grades.

A real 1922 plain cent (no d mintmark) is worth about $600 to $750 and up.

If you really can’t see any trace of the d mint mark, it might be worth sending it to a reputable coin certification service like the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) or the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) to have it authenticated and graded.

Good luck!

hI I HAVE A 1821 DIME AND CAN’T SEE A MINT MARK IS IT WORTH ANYTHING

Hi Jim,

Actually, such double-sided coins are virtually always intentionally made by private individuals as novelty coins. Assuming such is the case with your coin, it’s likely worth a couple dollars to people who collect such coins.

Hi Wonderperson,

The U.S. Mint didn’t strike 1941 Lincoln cents in anything but the usual bronze format, so your coin was plated or coated in something.

Mercury is commonly used in coating pennies to look that way, and it’s quite possible zinc, pewter, or silver were also used to achieve that effect. In any respect, your coin unfortunately has no value to most collectors because it’s deemed as altered.

Hi, Greg —

The steel cent actually is the common type of 1943 penny. Those are worth less than $1 if circulated. Yours are worth about the same — 25 cents to $1 on average if worn (a tad more if uncirculated).

The copper 1943 cent, of which only about 40 are known to exist, is the $80,000-plus 1943 cent.

Hi, James —

What you have sounds like a very nice example of a typical 1943-D steel cent. The fact that it sticks to a magnet is normal for a steel cent. The magnet test is mentioned with 1943 cents because those that DON’T stick to magnets (and don’t appear to be made of steel and/or have an apparent zinc outer coating) may be one of the rare 1943 copper cents worth tens of thousands of dollars!

Hi, Yuriy —

What you have is a 1942 Lincoln wheat cent. Though now old, these are still quite common and worth about 3 to 5 cents in worn grades.

Yes, Matthew — definitely keep your 1907 Indian Head cent. Indian Head pennies are very popular collectibles, and in well-preserved grades can be worth quite a bit.

If yours is typical, it’s well worn. As long as it’s not damaged, corroded, or cleaned, it’s worth at least $2 to $3!

Good call, Katie — yes, that’s something somebody added onto the coin after it was made. Unfortunately that has no extra collector value… but it may be special to somebody who has a ‘B’ for an initial!

Thanks for your question, Roxy —

Your 1955-D penny is worth 2 to 5 cents, and your 1919 cent is worth around 15 cents.

Hi, Jada —

Despite their ages, both your 1961 and 1974 penny aren’t worth more than face value simply because they are so common.

However, I do urge you to keep checking your pocket change for coins. If you can find any pennies made before 1959 or those of any date which have any part of the design doubled, be sure to hang onto them. They can be worth more than face value! Good luck.

Hi, Elizabeth —

A typical 1943 steel cent is worth 25 cents to $1. If you’re interested in selling it, you might want to try selling it on eBay or selling it to a coin dealer.

Hi, WM —

Your 1974 Lincoln-Kennedy penny has value as a novelty coin. I’ve seen such pieces sell for $2 to $5 with the packaging intact. You can find out more about your coin here: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2005/08/lincoln_kennedy.php

Hi, A –The wheat pennies you listed — except for the 1943-D — are each worth about 3 to 5 cents. The 1943-D steel cent has a value closer to 25 cents or so. Maybe not a lot of money but worth more than face value!

Hi, Debbie —

Your coins are worth around 20 to 25 cents apiece. How nice that you have a complete set of 1943 steel cents!

Thugyangel,

Thanks for your question! Yours is likely a coin that was chemically altered in what has become a common science experiment often conducted by school kids. While these coins may look special, they’re actually worth only face value.

Hi, Jason —

Though I haven’t seen any myself, I know many Lincoln pennies have been stamped with the Liberty Bell image. A company or private mint likely placed the image on these coins as a promotion of some sort. Your coin is therefore a novelty coin and likely has some value (maybe 50 cents to $1) to coin collectors who specialize in novelty coins.

Wow, Tom —

That’s an amazing discovery! 1883 Indian Head cents are usually worth around $2 to $5 in the typical worn grades. One issue with yours may be corrosion or discoloration from being outdoors, but it would still be worth 50 cents to $1 or so even with the corrosion.

Keep gardening… maybe you’ll find more!!

Hi, Cindy —

I’ve never seen one myself, but I can tell you the coin you have was altered after it left the U.S. Mint!

While your smoking Lincoln penny may have no numismatic value, it may be of interest to novelty coin collectors. And, indeed, when was the last time you saw a person on a coin smoking?!

Hi, Bob —

You’ll want to check out these posts to find out which, if any, of your pennies are scarce and valuable:

7 Rare Wheat Cents: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/07/rare_wheat_pennies.php

Semi-Key Lincoln Cents: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/12/lincoln_semi_key_coins.php

Valuable Lincoln Memorial Cents: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/12/lincoln_penny.php

Good luck!

Hi, Sandra —

Do you know what nation it’s from? Values are usually based on the condition of your coin, but assuming it’s well worn and is in an average-circulated grade, it would be worth 50 cents to $1.

Hi, Parker —

Feel free to list a few of the coins you’re curious about here, and we’ll see if we can figure out some approximate values for you.

A typical 1944 Lincoln cent with lots of wear but no damage is worth around 3 to 5 cents.

Ana,

It sounds like you have a novelty penny — basically a real Lincoln cent that was stamped with the Liberty Bell to commemorate the Bicentennial in 1976. The silver color is probably pewter or silver plating (both safe to touch), but if it’s mercury plated, I recommend not touching the coin. Such pieces are worth about a dollar or so.

Mark,I’ve never heard of this error before. If you’d like, you can upload a photo to The Fun Times Guide to Coins Facebook wall and perhaps I’ll be of more help after I can look at it there. Here’s a link to the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheFunTimesGuideToCoins

Lisa,

Does your penny have any signs of doubling at the date? If it does (and these are very rare), it may be the valuable ($1,000 and up) 1955 doubled-die penny; check out a photo here: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/07/rare_wheat_pennies.php

If there’s no doubling, it’s worth around 3 to 5 cents.

Md,

By the 1950s, Lincoln cents were being struck very well on a consistent basis. Your 1980 cent has a partly missing design for another reason, likely either a die filled with grease or debris. I really can’t say without seeing a photo. If you’d like, feel free to post one at The Fun Times Guide to Coins and we’ll see if we can figure out what’s going on.

Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheFunTimesGuideToCoins

Maxx,

The ‘D’ on the 1928 penny (is that the marking you’re referring to?) is mintmade; that’s called a mintmark and reveals which mint made the coin. In your case, it was Denver. Given the condition of the coin overall, that coin is worth 3 to 5 cents.

I’m having a hard time seeing the 1955 penny photo well. Do you see any doubling in the date also? Or just on the motto?

Great question, Barekat. Here’s a look at coin grading: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2007/12/how_to_grade_a_coin_grades.php

Once you get a better idea as to what condition your coins are in, you can start perusing other articles here and get a clearer concept about their values.

Well, DL, what I can tell you is that in 1974 the United States Mint struck a limited number of aluminum cents as a prototype when a proposition to change the metal composition of the coin from copper to aluminum was made in an effort to reduce the cost of minting the coin.

The idea was eventually rejected. The 1974 aluminum penny was never actually an official minting and, thus, many were revoked and melted — though some have been known to exist. Because 1974 pennies are considered to belong to the government, the Secret Service is prepared to handle any case of suspected 1974 aluminum cents.

If yours is an aluminum penny, it will weigh only about 1 gram. It’s possible you have a mercury, silver, or pewter-coated bronze 1974 penny intended to resemble one of the rare (and, essentially, illegal) 1974 aluminum cents. A regular bronze penny weighs 3.11 grams.

Hi Robert,

A magnetic 1943 penny that’s silver in color is an authentic steel cent worth between 10 cents and $1 in typical circulated condition.

Jerry,

It’s most likely that your coin has been altered — perhaps it is formerly an illusionist’s coin; such pieces unfortunately have no numismatic value.

Doug,

If you’d like to, please feel free to post a pic at The Fun Times Guide to Coins: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/TheFunTimesGuideToCoins . However, without seeing your coin, my only logical conclusion is that it has been plated with a magnetic metal — probably steel.

Such a piece would be considered altered by numismatists and, unfortunately, not worth anything more than face value.

Well, Nocturner, I’m not to sure on how nice your 1918 penny looks, but it may be worth about anywhere from 25 cents if it’s well worn up to a few dollars if it’s worn but only lightly. These values apply only for a 1918 penny that’s not corroded, cleaned, or otherwise damaged.

Hi, John —

It sounds like your penny has suffered either uneven wear or was struck weakly. Either way, the “E” looking like an “F” wouldn’t give the coin any extra value in this case.

IAGO,

Yes, because pennies made since 1982 have a zinc core (which looks silver in color), it’s possible your coin wasn’t coated with a copper plating.

However, it’s also possible your coin was chemically altered in a common science experiment.

The best way to tell if you have a worthless chemically altered penny or a $100 mint error is to bring your coin to a local coin dealer for closer inspection or to send it to a grading service, which can cost between $10 to $30.

Here’s some info on grading services: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/01/slabbed_coins.php

Hi, Marshall —

The 4 being weak on your 1943 cent isn’t a particularly scarce occurrence; your coin has either suffered significant wear in that area or was weakly struck. Still, your coin is worth somewhere between 10 cents and $1.

Linda, the coin is a real Washington quarter, but it wasn’t gold plated by the U.S. Mint. The amount of gold on the coin has nominal value, and the quarter really is therefore worth more for the silver contained within (about $5 to $6, based on the current fluctuating bullion price).

Staats,

It may bring a couple dollars from somebody interested in filled-die error coins…

Hi, Sharon —

It could be a planchet striking error, or it might be that the coin was rolled too thin, or it might even have been caused by acid damage after the U.S. Mint. If you can, would you please post a photo on The Fun Times Guide to Coins Facebook wall? Here’s the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/TheFunTimesGuideToCoins

Hi,

Sounds like your aunt has a Philadelphia token from a United States mint set. Mint sets are packages of uncirculated coins that the U.S. Mint has sold nearly every year since 1947.

A “P” mint token is worth between around 50 cents to $1.

Here’s some more info about mint sets: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2008/12/1980_mint_set.php

Winterfairy,You actually have a magician’s coin; the illusion involves making it look as though a Kennedy half dollar is being “turned into” a British penny. This “coin” has no value to most coin collectors but may be worth a buck or two to a magician looking for a “trick coin.”

Rickey,

There were no steel or tin U.S. pennies made in 1936, so if you have some from that year that look like they’re made of anything but the usual copper composition, then they were plated by a private individual or company. Such pieces are considered altered and worth no more than face value.

 Diablo, would you mind posting a photo in the comments section here? Thanks!

Also the 1958 penny has the “heads side” edge smooth all around (the l in liberty is missing, the 8 in 1958 is half missing-horizontally and the “in god we trust” is half missing vertically starting from the “in god we” and the “trust” portion is almost gone except for the VERY bottom. The “tails side” also has a smooth edge, the “e plurbius unum” portion is half missing vertically and the wheat leaves are also smooth where only the leaf inner edges are viable.

Rbrewer,

Without seeing the coin, my best guess may be that the die – the device which imprints images on a blank coin – was either weak or partially filled with debris. For the most part, these types of coins aren’t usually worth much more than regular coins of the same date.

Pschnichels,

It may be gold plated; even then, it’s value would still be nominal because the amount of gold is tiny. If gold plated, it may have a value of $1 to $2 in the novelty coin market.

Cr,

It sounds like your 1981 penny was coated with pewter, silver, or perhaps even mercury. This isn’t a mint error and is something that was done after the coin had left the mint. There really is no collector value to such coins.

No, Istreet. It was likely just dipped in mercury or plated in pewter or silver by somebody outside of the mint and, thus, altered.

Cindy,

Sounds like your 1963 Lincoln cent was coated in pewter, silver, or perhaps even mercury. Such a piece has no added value.

Swmuck,

While there are a few rare (and illegal to own) aluminum pattern coins made that year to experiment with a cheaper metal, you most likely have a regular, copper 1974 penny that was coated in pewter or silver to mimic the rare aluminum coin from that year.

By the way, aluminum 1974 Lincoln cents weigh about 1 gram, whereas a regular copper one weighs 3.11 grams.

Meme,

These are actually quite common and belong to a four-part series of commemorative Lincoln cents honoring the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth. Here’s some more info: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/02/2009_lincoln_cent.php

Each id worth face value if in worn condition.

Hi, Merenia –

Your steel 1943-D Lincoln cent is worth around 20 cents.

Tom,

It sounds like the coin was plated with pewter or silver; the plating would actually lower its value because coin collectors typically prefer in their unaltered state. Such a piece may be worth a couple dollars.

Hi, Jan –

That’s not at all unusual. In fact, that means the coin was minted at the Philadelphia mint.

Hi, Kimbey –

You likely have a coin that has been machine doubled, meaning that the coin was accidentally struck twice; this is different and far more common than a situation in which the die (the device that puts an image on a coin) features doubling. Your piece is probably worth a couple dollars to a coin collector interested in such coins.

Hi, Rechelle –

The discoloration appears to be normal surface oxidation, which is unfortunately quite common with copper coins.

Hello Mike,

Without seeing a photo, it’s hard to say for certain. However, a very common science experiment involves dipping a modern (1982 or newer) Lincoln cent into acid to strip off its copper out layer and expose its inner zinc core. Perhaps that is what happened to your coin.

If you would like to submit a pic of your coin, I should be able to verify or explain otherwise.

Thanks for your question!

Hello, Alan —

If you’d like a certification service to examine your coin, I’d suggest having ANACS look at it. Here’s a link to their service: http://www.anacs.com/contentPages/Services.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Here’s some more info on coin certification in general:

http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2009/01/slabbed_coins.php

*IMPORTANT NOTE – Many coin certification companies will NOT grade cleaned coins. So, if your goal is to have it authenticated, I’d AVOID cleaning it altogether.

Hello, Sandra —

From what I can tell about the 1997-D Lincoln cent, it appears you’re asking about the weakness in the “1” digit, or perhaps its mottled color? The weakness in the “7” is a common situation with Lincoln cents and wouldn’t add any extra value.

The color is most likely the result of light handling in circulation; perhaps perspiration from perhaps a few different transactions left enough oil on the most exposed surfaces of the coin to cause that light browning effect.

Thanks for your question!

Hi, Menaka —

Nice coin! It’s worth 5 to 10 cents; do be sure to keep it in original condition though, as cleaning it will only ruin the coin.

Thanks for your question!
Josh

Hi, Jeremy —

In short, the 1943 cents (all of the different mint regular-issue varieties) are worth 10 to 25 cents each if worn. The other Lincoln wheat cents listed are worth 5 to 15 cents each. The 1963-D is worth 2 cents, and the 1893 Indian Head pennies are worth $2 to $3 in well-circulated grades.

You may find these links useful as you continue checking your pocket change for valuable pennies:

Old Copper Cents Worth Saving: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2015/06/copper-pennies.php#.VaALThbfXww
A List of 43 Pennies Worth Keeping: http://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/2014/07/valuable-pennies.php#.VaAL3BbfXww

Good luck!
Josh