💰 These 5 Lincoln Pennies Are Worth BIG Money – Rare Coins that Could Make You Over $100,000!
The Lincoln Cent is the most collected and scrutinized coin in U.S. history. While billions were made, a tiny fraction contains errors or low-mintage dates that have transformed them from pocket change into true museum-quality treasures. The various images of the Lincoln Penny—from the classic Wheat Reverse to the modern Bicentennial design—each represent a potential lottery ticket.
To find the rare coins that can make you over $100,000, you need to look for specific errors and dates that define the most valuable finds in the series. Here are the 5 Lincoln Pennies that every collector must look for.
1. The 1943 Copper Cent (The Million-Dollar Mistake)
This is the undisputed king of valuable pennies. During World War II, copper was vital for ammunition, so the U.S. Mint struck the 1943 cent on zinc-coated steel. A few bronze (copper) planchets from 1942 were accidentally left in the hoppers and struck with the 1943 dies.
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Rarity Factor: Fewer than 40 are known to exist.
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Value: An authenticated, high-grade example has sold for over $1.7 Million. This is the highest-value error coin in U.S. coinage and the one most likely to inspire the extreme valuations seen in coin media.
2. The 1955 Doubled Die Obverse (The Clarity Error)
This coin is famous for its unmistakable minting error: the die used to strike the coin was struck twice, slightly misaligned, resulting in a dramatic, clear doubling of the date “1955” and the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST”.
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Rarity Factor: The error was missed by mint inspectors, but only about 20,000 to 24,000 were released, and many were found and kept.
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Value: While not reaching a million, a high-grade, certified example (MS-63) regularly sells for $50,000 or more, placing it squarely in the six-figure category for the best finds.
3. The 1909-S VDB (The Inaugural Rarity)
The very first year of the Lincoln Cent featured the designer Victor David Brenner’s initials (VDB) prominently on the reverse. Public outcry caused the initials to be quickly removed. This rapid change created two key varieties.
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Rarity Factor: The 1909-S VDB (San Francisco Mint) had a tiny mintage of only 484,000 coins, the second-lowest mintage for the entire series.
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Value: Even in circulated condition, it’s worth hundreds of dollars. In high-grade, uncirculated condition, this classic key date can sell for tens of thousands of dollars.
4. The 1965 Silver Off-Metal Strike
The 1965 cent is often overlooked, but it is one of the most exciting transition-era errors. This was the year the U.S. Mint stopped using silver in dimes and quarters, leading to immense production chaos.
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The Error: A few 1965 cents were accidentally struck on a 90% silver dime planchet.
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How to Spot It: The coin will be entirely silver-colored (no copper showing) and will weigh around 2.5 grams (instead of the standard 3.11 grams).
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Value: This extreme off-metal error has authenticated auction records showing sales over $9,000, and a truly pristine example could easily break the $10,000 mark.
5. The 1970-S Small Date Doubled Die
While the 1979 cent (shown in one of the images) is valuable in high grade, the true modern rarity is the 1970-S Small Date variety with an accompanying Doubled Die Obverse (DDO).
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The Error: There are two types of 1970-S cents: large date and rare small date. The small-date variety, when paired with a clear DDO (especially visible on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST), is a massive find.
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Value: High-grade examples of this specific variety have reached auction prices of over $40,000.
🚨 The Collector’s Golden Rule: Verification
If you believe you have found one of these five life-changing coins, your next steps are critical: Do Not Clean It! The only way to realize the massive, six-figure auction potential is to submit the coin to a professional third-party grading service like PCGS or NGC for full authentication and encapsulation. This step is non-negotiable for selling coins worth over $100,000.
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