Million-Dollar Penny Secrets: How to Identify Ultra-Rare Lincoln Cents

The 4 Most Valuable Pennies Ever Sold

1. 1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent – $1.7 Million

• Why valuable: Only 10-15 exist (accidental copper strikes during steel penny production)
• Key identifiers:
  • Date: Clear 1943 (not altered)
  • Color: Copper (not silver/gray)
  • Weight: 3.11g (steel pennies weigh 2.7g)
  • Magnet test: Genuine copper won’t stick

2. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny – $389,968

• Why valuable: Experimental reverse steel planchet
• Key identifiers:
  • Date: Clear 1944
  • Color: Silver/gray
  • Weight: 2.7g
  • Magnet test: Will stick

3. 1955 Doubled Die Obverse – $55,944

• Why valuable: Dramatic doubling visible to naked eye
• Key identifiers:
  • Obverse doubling in “LIBERTY” and date
  • Strong separation in letters/numbers
  • Must be 1955 (not 1955-D or 1955-S)

4. 1969-S Doubled Die – $13,573

• Why valuable: Extremely rare San Francisco mint error
• Key identifiers:
  • “S” mint mark below date
  • Doubling on obverse lettering
  • Sharp strike details

How to Check Your Pennies for Million-Dollar Errors

Step 1: Sort by Key Dates

Use our free printable cheat sheet to quickly identify valuable years:

• 1909-S VDB
• 1914-D
• 1922 No D
• 1943 copper
• 1944 steel
• 1955 doubled die
• 1969-S doubled die
• 1972 doubled die

Step 2: Perform the 4 Quick Tests

1. Magnet Test (copper vs. steel)
2. Weight Check (3.11g vs. 2.7g)
3. Magnification (10x loupe for doubling)
4. Mint Mark Verification (S, D, or none)

Step 3: Professional Authentication

For potential rarities:

• PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service)
• NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation)
• ANACS (American Numismatic Association)

Where These Million-Dollar Pennies Were Found

• 1943 Copper: Found in a high school student’s lunch money (1958)
• 1944 Steel: Discovered in a collector’s inherited holdings
• 1955 DDO: Came from a Philadelphia bank roll
• 1969-S DDO: Found in a proof set

What to Do If You Find a Rare Penny

1. Handle carefully with cotton gloves
2. Document everything with timestamped photos
3. Get professional authentication
4. Insure before transport
5. Sell through Heritage Auctions or Stack’s Bowers

Free Resources from PennyVerse.info