Did You Know Your Old Penny Could Be Worth Over $10,000?
If you’ve got a jar full of old Lincoln cents, you might be sitting on a $10,000+ treasure and not even realize it!
One of the rarest and most valuable modern U.S. coins is the 1982-D Small Date Copper Penny — a unique minting mistake that has collectors paying big money at auction.
In this guide, we’ll show you:
How to identify this rare 1982-D penny
Why it’s worth so much
What to do if you find one
Why the 1982-D Small Date Copper Penny Is So Valuable
1982 was a transition year for U.S. pennies — the Mint switched from copper to zinc to cut costs. But a few copper planchets (coin blanks) accidentally made their way into Denver’s production line, creating a once-in-a-lifetime mint error.
Here’s why collectors go crazy for this coin:
Transition Year Rarity — The last copper pennies were made in 1982.
Minting Mistake — Only a few 1982-D coins were struck on copper instead of zinc.
Certified Rarity — Just a handful have been confirmed by PCGS and NGC.
Auction Record — One graded MS-64 sold for a whopping $18,800 at Heritage Auctions!
3 Simple Steps to Identify a $10,000+ 1982-D Penny
Check the Mint Mark & Year
- Must read 1982-D (D = Denver Mint).
- Pennies with no mint mark (Philadelphia) or S (San Francisco) are not part of this error.
Look Closely at the Date Style
Small Date (Valuable)
“8” and “2” are the same height
The tail of the “2” is thin and curved
Large Date (Not Valuable)
✘ “8” sits slightly lower than the “2”
✘ The “2” is thicker and more upright
Weigh the Coin
Use a digital scale for accuracy:
Copper (Valuable) → 3.11 grams
Zinc (Common) → 2.5 grams
If your coin weighs around 3.1 grams, congratulations — you might be holding a $10,000+ error penny!
Bonus: Double Die Errors Can Be Worth $50,000+
If your 1982-D Small Date Copper penny shows doubling on “LIBERTY” or the date, it’s even rarer!
These “Double Die” errors have sold for $50,000+ depending on condition and certification.
What to Do If You Find One
Do NOT clean it — this will destroy collector value.
Get it graded — send it to PCGS or NGC for authentication.
Choose the right selling platform:
Heritage Auctions — for coins worth $10,000+
eBay — for ungraded or circulated finds
Pro Tip: Always check your pocket change, coin rolls, and family collections — even circulated examples can still be worth hundreds or thousands!
