Have A 2015 Penny? It Could Be Worth $300 Or More!

Photo of author

By Joshua

Did you know some 2015 pennies are worth HUNDREDS of dollars?

It’s true! Some 2015 Lincoln penny values are worth way more than their face value of one cent.

Why are so many coin collectors looking for these rare 2015 Lincoln cents?

Would you know if you have one of the valuable 2015 pennies?

Let’s explore what makes a 2015 penny valuable, and find out if you have any that are worth more than just a penny…

Fun Facts About The 2015 Penny

The 2015 Lincoln cent was produced by the billions and is a common coin that is regularly found in pocket change today.

These coins were struck at both the Philadelphia Mint and Denver Mint for use in circulation. The San Francisco Mint made a much smaller number of 2015 pennies just for collectors that were sold in proof sets.

The mintmarks of the Denver (D) and San Francisco (S) mints appear on the obverse (heads side) of the coin underneath the date.

Lincoln cents were originally designed by Victor David Brenner in 1909 and were paired with his wheat ears penny reverse (tails side) until 1959 — when Frank Gasparro’s Lincoln Memorial motif began to appear on the reverse of Lincoln cents.

While many people think that 2015 pennies are made from copper, this isn’t entirely the case. All circulating Lincoln cents struck after 1982 were produced with a copper-plated zinc composition and weigh 2.5 grams.

In recent years, it has cost the U.S. Mint more than one cent to strike a single penny, leaving many to wonder how much longer the Lincoln cent will be in production. This also means that at times when metals prices are high, a typical Lincoln cent (even a modern one with a lot of wear) can be worth more than its face value of one cent.

2015 Penny Value (No Mint Mark)

The 2015 penny with no mintmark under the date was struck at the Philadelphia Mint.

This Philadelphia Lincoln cent was supposed to be made without a mintmark — so this is a normal coin and not a rare and valuable error 2015 penny worth more than face value, as many might think. The Philadelphia Mint struck 4,691,300,000 Lincoln pennies in 2015.

How much it’s worth:

  • If circulated (worn), it is generally worth just its face value of 1 cent. Therefore, it’s not worth holding onto, and it can safely be spent in circulation.
  • Any 2015 pennies that are in uncirculated (never worn) condition and look like they just left the mint yesterday are worth 10 to 30 cents.
  • The most valuable 2015 penny was graded MS67+RD by Professional Coin Grading Service and sold for $159 in a 2018 sale.

2015-D Penny Value

The 2015-D penny was struck at the Denver Mint and, accordingly, carries a “D” mintmark underneath the date.

This coin isn’t generally considered rare, as 4,674,000,000 were made — and 2015-D pennies are readily found in pocket change these days.

How much it’s worth:

  • In circulated condition, a 2015-D penny is normally worth only its face value of 1 cent. Therefore, if you find a worn 2015-D Lincoln cent and it doesn’t contain any errors or varieties, you can spend it without worrying that you’d be letting a valuable penny slip through your hands.
  • An uncirculated 2015-D penny is typically worth 10 to 30 cents.
  • The most valuable 2015-D Lincoln cent was graded MS67+RD by Professional Coin Grading Service and fetched $350 in a 2018 auction.

2015-S Penny Value

The 2015-S proof Lincoln penny was struck at the San Francisco Mint and bears an “S” mintmark under the date.

Proof pennies differ from regular circulation-issue examples in the way they’re manufactured. While business-strike coins are struck once by regular dies and handled like ordinary coins, proof coins are produced on polished blanks and struck twice by specially prepared dies on high-tonnage presses. They are also specially handled to minimize contacts marks and other imperfections and secured in protective packaging.

The San Francisco Mint struck 1,099,412 of the 2015-S proof pennies — these were sold directly to coin collectors.

How much it’s worth:

  • The 2015-S penny is worth $3 to $5, in most cases.
  • The most valuable 2015-S penny was graded PR70DCAM by Professional Coin Grading Service and took $112.50 in a 2015 auction.

Valuable 2015 Penny Error List

A penny is sometimes worth more when it’s imperfect than when it’s perfect. That’s certainly the case with the 2015 penny errors and varieties that abound. Some are worth hundreds of dollars!

Here are some of the most valuable 2015 penny errors you should be looking for:

2015 Doubled Die Penny

The most famous type of error variety coin has to be the doubled die, which occurs when the hub that produces an image on the die (which strikes images onto blank coins) is unintentionally impressed twice at different angles of positions. Many collectors have reported doubled dies on the Lincoln Shield pennies, including the 2015 penny. So, you should keep your eyes peeled for signs of doubling on your 2015 pennies. Look for signs of doubling in Lincoln’s eye, his suit, the details of the shield, and in the lettering on both sides of the coin. A 2015 doubled die penny can be worth $25 to $50… or more.

2015 Off-Center Penny

Off-center pennies are cool collectibles and great error coins, too. You can find 2015 off-center pennies if you look carefully through your pocket change for these valuable error coins. To be considered an off-center error, your 2015 penny must have at least some of its design details or design field missing — as if they were shoved off the side of the coin.

Any 2015 pennies you find with one edge of the rim thicker than the other really aren’t collectible off-center errors since they’re so common. But if you find a 2015 off-center penny that is askew from 1% to 99%, it’s worth hanging on to. These 2015 penny errors are worth $3 to $5 and up. The most valuable kind of off-center error penny is missing 40% to 60% of its design yet still shows a complete date. Such a drastic error on a 2015 penny can be worth $75 to $100 or more!

2015 BIE Penny

What’s a BIE penny? It’s one that shows a little vertical die crack in between the letters “B” and “E” of the inscription LIBERTY on the obverse of the Lincoln cent. It’s a type of variety that’s unique to Lincoln pennies and can be found on the 2015 penny — if you’re lucky enough to find one! Look for what appears to be a little capital letter “I” on your 2015 pennies. (It might look blobby or be longer than the surrounding letters.) These quirky error coins are worth $5 to $15 apiece!