Coin Collecting
When I began collecting coins, I was only interested in old ones because I thought they were the only ones that were valuable. Once I started researching coins, I discovered that many that can still be found in circulation today are worth a lot of money. I was blown away by how much some of these coins are worth. It was unbelievable. Now that I’ve finished my research, I want to share my results with you. Here is a list of ten valuable pennies that might be in your pocket change right now.
Ten Valuable Pennies You Should Watch Out for Today
| Year | Error | Value (approx. and dependent upon coin’s condition) |
|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Copper (struck on wrong planchet) | $10,000+ |
| 1955 | Doubled Die | $1,000+ |
| 1969 | Doubled Die | $1,000+ |
| 1983 | Doubled Die | $250 |
| 1984 | Doubled Ear | $200 |
| 1992 | Close AM | $1,000+ |
| 1993 | Wide AM | $200-$2,000 |
| 1998 | Wide AM | $5-$70 |
| 1999 | Wide AM | $100+ |
| 2000 | Wide AM | $5-$70 |
What Are Doubled Die Coins?
Doubled die coins have an additional, noticeable, misaligned image on them due to an error during the die hubbing process.
The 1943 copper penny is very valuable. All coins in 1943 were made out of steel because of World War II. A few copper pennies were accidentally produced and a rare coin was born.
1943 Copper Penny
In 1943, all copper pennies were made out of steel. The U.S. Mint decided to use steel instead of copper because they needed copper for military equipment during World War 2. A few known copper coins escaped from the mint. There are only a few known to exist, but it is believed that there may be more out there. These coins can reach values of $10,000 or more!
This is a rare doubled die penny from 1955. You can clearly see the doubling in “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” and the date.
1955 Doubled Die Penny
This penny has visible doubling on the front of the coin. You can easily see the doubling if you look at the top of it, above Lincoln’s head, where it reads, “In God We Trust.” These pennies are scarce, but there are more out there somewhere. If you are lucky enough to find one, their value can range from $1,000 and up. I have seen them go for $4,000-$5,000.
The 1969-S penny is also a doubled die. You can clearly see it has been stamped twice.
1969-S Doubled Die Penny
This is another coin that has a distinct doubling on the obverse (front) side of the coin. Once again, look for doubling at the top where “In God We Trust” is printed. Even though this coin is very rare, it is still being found today. Its value can reach the thousands.
1983 Doubled Die Penny
The doubling on this penny is found on the reverse (back) side of the coin. If you look closely or compare it to another penny from the same year, you will easily notice this error. Although it is not as valuable as the other pennies above, it still can fetch a price of $250.
1984 Doubled Ear Penny
In 1984, a few pennies escaped the eye of the U.S. Mint with doubling seen on Lincoln’s ear. Looking carefully, if you have the right coin, you will clearly see that the ear is doubled. As far as value goes, this penny is worth a few hundred dollars.
Note: A few pennies minted in 1997 also had the same error.
This shows you the difference between a close AM penny and a wide AM. This is for pennies from the years 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, and the 2000. Beginning in 1993, all pennies changed from the wide AM design to the close AM design.
1992 Close AM Penny
Find all of your pennies from 1992 and check their backsides. What you are looking for is the placement of the letters “A” and “M” in the word “AMERICA.” In 1993, all pennies switched to the close AM design. Therefore, the pennies from 1992 should have a noticeable space between the “A” and the “M.” So if there is no space between the “A” and “M “on the backside of yours, then you have a rare coin worth thousands depending on its condition (prices start near $1000).
1993 Wide AM Penny
In 1993, the penny switched to a close AM design—the two letters actually touch! A few of them managed to slip by with the old, wide AM design. If you can track down one of these rarities, it could be worth anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, depending on its condition.
1998, 1999, and 2000 Wide AM Penny
The ’98, ’99, and ’00 penny should have a closed AM design. However, there are a few that have a wide design. These are the ones you want to find. Those minted in the year 2000 are the most common, whereas the ones from 1999 are the rarest. Their values have decreased over time because more are being found, but they still offer good profits. You can get anywhere from $5 to $70 for the 1998 and 2000 pennies depending on their condition. Those from 1999 can reach a value near $100 or more.
