Most people see pennies as useless copper coins.
Collectors see them as hidden lottery tickets.
Some of the rarest penny errors ever discovered were once sitting in cash registers, jars, and pockets—completely unnoticed. Today, a few of them sell for thousands… even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Save this list. It could change how you look at every penny forever 
How to Check Your Pennies (Quick Guide)
Before we start:
- Use good lighting
- Look closely at mint marks, letters, and spacing
- Never clean a coin
(this destroys value) - Handle by the edges only
Now let’s begin…
#10 – 1999 Wide AM Penny
Value: ~$500
Flip the penny to the back and look at the word AMERICA.
What to look for:
- A wide gap between the A and M
Most pennies have the letters almost touching. If yours has a noticeable space, you may have a $500 coin.
#9 – 1992 Close AM Penny
Value: ~$1,000
Again, check the back of the coin at AMERICA.
What to look for:
- The A and M touching
This reverse design was not supposed to be used in 1992, which makes this a valuable mistake.
#8 – 1922 No D Mint Mark Penny
Value: $1,500 – $2,000
All 1922 pennies were made in Denver.
What to look for:
- No “D” mint mark under the date
If it’s missing, you found a major error.
#7 – 1955 Double Die Penny
Value: $2,000 – $4,000
One of the most famous error coins ever.
What to look for:
- Strong doubling on:
- The date
- LIBERTY
- IN GOD WE TRUST
If the text looks printed twice, stop spending immediately.
#6 – 1969-S Double Die Penny
Value: $30,000 – $50,000
Extremely rare and often counterfeited.
What to look for:
- Clear doubling on:
- Numbers
- LIBERTY
- IN GOD WE TRUST
Must be professionally authenticated.
#5 – 1999 Mule Error Penny
Value: $75,000 – $100,000
A mule coin means two different coin designs were accidentally combined.
What to look for:
- On the back near UNITED, tilt the coin
- You may see extra letters or design impressions bleeding through
Very rare. Very valuable.
#4 – 2001-D Mule Error (Penny + Dime Reverse)
Value: $114,000
What to look for:
- Normal penny front
- Back of a dime
Yes—an actual dime design on a penny.
#3 – 1944 Steel Penny
Value: $150,000+
Steel cents were only made in 1943.
What to look for:
- A 1944 penny that:
- Is silver/gray
- Sticks to a magnet
This is a famous transitional error.
#2 – 1958 Double Die Wheat Penny
Value: $336,000
This doubling is subtle.
What to look for:
- LIBERTY
- IN GOD WE TRUST
One verified example sold for over $336,000.
#1 – 1943 Bronze Penny
Value: $500,000+
The king of penny errors.
All 1943 pennies should be steel.
What to look for:
- 1943 date
- Copper color
- Does NOT stick to a magnet
Verified examples have sold for over half a million dollars.
Important Warning
If you believe you found one:
- Do NOT clean it
- Do NOT polish it
- Do NOT scratch it
Get it professionally graded (PCGS or NGC). Cleaning can destroy 90%+ of its value.
Final Thought
That “worthless” penny in your pocket…
Could be a car.
A down payment.
Or a life-changing discovery.
Start checking your change. Every coin has a story. 
