Most people walk past pennies every single day. They drop them in jars. Leave them on counters. Throw them in drawers and forget about them forever. But some pennies aren’t just spare change—they’re hidden treasures worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in today’s auction market!
At USA Coin Reveal, we expose these rare coins that collectors fight over behind closed doors. Here’s a detailed guide to the top 5 coins shaking the US auction market, step by step.
Step 1: 1980D Lincoln Memorial Penny – Current Value: $291,000 
- Overview: Looks ordinary at first glance—gray oxidation, rustlike spotting, and circulation wear.
- History: Struck in Denver during a period of metal transition. Copper costs were rising, alloy experiments were underway, and coins were struck fast.
- Specs:
- Copper-based alloy
- Weight: 3.11 g
- Diameter: 19.05 mm
- Thickness: 1.52 mm
- Why It’s Valuable: Raw coins that survived decades without cleaning show authenticity. Its wear tells a collector story.
- Collector Notes: Avoid cleaning! Originality is everything.
Step 2: 1943D Lincoln Wheat Penny – Current Value: $386,000 
- Overview: Wartime copper was replaced by steel in 1943, but a few copper coins survived by accident.
- Specs:
- Copper-based bronze alloy
- Weight: 3.11 g
- Diameter: 19.05 mm
- Thickness: 1.52 mm
- Why It’s Valuable: Extremely rare Denver error; almost impossible to find in extra fine condition.
- Collector Notes: Never assume a 1943 penny is steel. Check weight and composition.
Step 3: 1946D Lincoln Wheat Penny – Current Value: $380,000 
- Overview: Postwar penny struck during transitional minting. Appears ordinary but carries decades of natural patina.
- Specs:
- Copper-based bronze alloy
- Weight: 3.11 g
- Diameter: 19.05 mm
- Thickness: 1.52 mm
- Why It’s Valuable: Original oxidation indicates untouched history. Scarce in almost fine condition.
- Collector Notes: Patina is gold. Do not clean. Survival equals value.
Step 4: 2016D Lincoln Shield Penny – Current Value: $218,000 
- Overview: Modern penny with overlooked minting anomalies. Brown rustlike shading indicates plating instability.
- Specs:
- Zinc core with thin copper plating
- Weight: 2.5 g
- Diameter: 19.05 mm
- Thickness: 1.52 mm
- Why It’s Valuable: Millions exist, but only a few show this natural anomaly. Demand is rising among modern coin specialists.
- Collector Notes: Modern doesn’t mean worthless. Untouched coins with plating anomalies are rare.
Step 5: 1990 Lincoln Memorial Penny – Current Value: $230,000 
- Overview: Modern penny with subtle copper plating failure. Looks old and damaged, but these coins are scarce and highly collectible.
- Specs:
- Zinc core with thin copper plating
- Weight: 2.5 g
- Diameter: 19.05 mm
- Thickness: 1.52 mm
- Why It’s Valuable: Untouched surfaces with oxidation are increasingly rare as collectors remove coins from circulation.
- Collector Notes: Never clean zinc-based coins. Modern coins can hide silent wealth.
Final Thoughts
Hidden treasures are often in plain sight. Whether it’s a 1980s Lincoln Memorial penny or a modern 2016 Shield penny, collectors are willing to pay hundreds of thousands for coins most people throw away.
