🚨 STOP! YOUR 1982 PENNY COULD BE A $18,000 TREASURE! 🚨
Did you know that 1982 was the “Great Transition Year” for the U.S. Mint? Because of rising metal costs, they switched from solid copper to copper-plated zinc mid-year. In the chaos of this change, a legendary error was born: the 1982-D Small Date Copper Penny.
Only two of these coins have ever been confirmed to exist in the entire world. The first one was discovered in 2016 and sold for a staggering $18,800 at auction!
💰 [Value] Why This Penny is Worth a Fortune
In 1982, the Mint produced seven standard varieties of the penny. The “Prize” you are looking for is the unofficial eighth variety—a “Transitional Error”.
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The Error: The Denver Mint (“D”) was only supposed to strike Small Date pennies on the new, lighter zinc planchets.
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The Fluke: A tiny number of leftover solid copper planchets from the previous batch were accidentally struck with the Small Date “D” dies.
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The Payout: Because only two are known, any new discovery would immediately become the “Holy Grail” of modern pocket change, likely fetching $10,000 to $18,000+ depending on its condition.
🔍 How to Spot the Winner: The 3-Step Test
You cannot find this coin with your eyes alone; you need a digital scale and a magnifying glass.
1. Check the Mint Mark: It must have a small “D” under the date 1982. If there is no letter, it was made in Philadelphia and is much more common.
2. Identify the “Small Date”: Look at the number 2 in 1982.
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Small Date (The Winner): The neck of the “2” is curved, and the top of the “8” is noticeably smaller than the bottom loop.
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Large Date (Common): The neck of the “2” is a straight diagonal line, and the “8” looks like two equal-sized circles.
3. The Weight Test (Crucial!): This is the only way to prove you have the error.
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Zinc (Common): Weighs 2.5 grams.
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Copper (TREASURE): Weighs 3.11 grams.
📣 [Call to Action]
Do you have a jar of 1982 pennies? It’s time to go hunting!
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Grab a scale and weigh every 1982-D penny you find.
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Look for that curved “2”—if it weighs 3.1 grams, you are holding a retirement-fund coin!
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Comment “FOUND ONE” if you’ve started your search, or tell us the heaviest penny you’ve ever weighed!
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Share this post with a friend who has a coin jar—you might just help them find $18,000!
Would you like me to create a side-by-side visual checklist showing exactly how to distinguish the “2” on a Small Date vs. a Large Date?
