Top 10 Rarest Pennies Worth $1M–$8M+: Could You Have One in Your Pocket?

Think pennies are just spare change? Think again. Some U.S. pennies have sold for $1 million to $8 million+, making them true treasures in the world of coin collecting.

Here’s your ultimate guide to the 10 rarest and most valuable pennies that could turn an ordinary pocket find into a millionaire’s dream.

The $8 Million Penny Phenomenon

1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent

Record Sale: $1.7 Million (2010)
Potential Value: $8 Million+

Why It’s Valuable:
Meant to be struck in steel (WWII copper shortage)
Only 10–15 known specimens exist
PCGS estimates a flawless example could top $8M

Top 10 Most Valuable Pennies

1793 Chain Cent

Value: $1M – $2.5M
First U.S. penny ever minted
Only 36,103 produced

1944 Steel Wheat Penny

Value: $375,000+
Should have been struck in copper
Only 2–7 known examples

1969-S Doubled Die Obverse

Value: $126,500+
Extreme doubling on LIBERTY & the date
Only 40–50 confirmed

1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent

Value: $1.7M (MS-67)
Lowest mintage Lincoln cent
Features controversial “VDB” initials

1877 Indian Head Penny

Value: $149,500+
Rarest Indian Head penny
Only 852,000 minted

1992 Close AM Penny

Value: $102,000+
“AM” in AMERICA nearly touching
Rare modern variety

1955 Doubled Die Obverse

Value: $100,000+
Strong doubling visible without magnification
Most famous doubled die penny

1914-D Lincoln Wheat Penny

Value: $1.2M+
Extremely low mintage at Denver Mint
High-grade coins fetch six figures

1922 No D Lincoln Penny

Value: $500,000+
Struck without a visible “D” mintmark
Highly prized error coin

1974 Aluminum Penny

Value: Priceless (Specimen Only)
Experimental test strike
Never officially released into circulation

How to Spot Million-Dollar Pennies

Weight Tests: Copper vs. steel (1943/1944)
Mintmark Checks: Missing or rare marks
Magnification: Look for doubled dies
Date Research: Key years — 1909, 1914, 1922, 1943, 1944, 1955, 1969, 1974, 1992