10 Valuable Cent Coins Rare Dates And Values
The ten most valuable Indian Head and Lincoln pennies you should be looking for are:
- 1943 Copper Lincoln Penny: $186,000-$372,000
- 1969-S Double Die Lincoln Cent: $41,125-$126,500
- 1922 “Plain” Lincoln Cent: $329-$57,500
- 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent: $1,645-$32,400
- 1877 Indian Cent: $220-$21,150
- 1873 Doubled LIBERTY Indian Cent: $367-$20,125
- 1914-D Lincoln Cent: $74-$16,100
- 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent: $499-$10,000
- 1992-D Close AM Lincoln Cent: $990-$3,525
- 1909-S Indian Cent: $282-$3,400
All prices are according to what PCGS lists as auction records
If you’ve inherited a coin collection from your father or grandfather, there is a better than average chance that you have among the various albums or holders a set of Indian Cents and/or Lincoln Cents pennies with value. These are two of the absolute most popular US coins and, at one time or another, virtually all coin collectors worked on completing a set of these iconic issues.
our ANA member numismatic experts will list the 10 rarest dates in the Lincoln and Indian Head cent series and give you the value for each. 10 Valuable Cent Coins This is valuable information, especially if you have a rare collection and are considering selling your valuable pennies.
First, a little background on each
Indian Head pennies were struck from 1859 through 1909.10 Valuable Cent Coins The first five issues (through 1864) were made in a Copper-Nickel alloy (88% copper and 12% nickel) and they have a greyish color when circulated and a rose-grey or golden hue when they are well-preserved.
The 1859—the first-year-of-issue–is a one year type with no shield on the reverse. The 1860 through 1864 have a different reverse with a fuller wreath and a shield at 12:00. All of the issues so far are common.
Late in 1864, the decision was made to strike Indian Cents in a bronze alloy which is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. These were struck in significant quantities through 1879 (with one exception; see below) and in comparatively large quantities through the end of the design in 1909.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of his birth, the Lincoln Cent (also known as wheat pennies) was released in 1909. Designed by Victor David Brenner, this design is among the most loved on any American coin; not to mention the longest running as the obverse is essentially unchanged for 114 years.
During World War II the United States was looking for ways to save on copper for military equipment. As a result steel was used instead of copper, creating the 1943 Lincoln steel penny. 10 Valuable Cent Coins It was only supposed to be for one year, but a few steel pennies were made in 1944 by mistake, giving the 1944 steel Lincoln cents value.
In 1959, the Lincoln Memorial replaced two stalks of wheat thus retiring the so-called “Wheat Penny” design after 50 years.
Below are the top ten issues which you should be looking for by value.
Table of Contents
- 1943 Copper Lincoln Penny
- 1969-S Double Die Lincoln Cent
- 1922 “Plain” Lincoln Cent
- 1955 Double Die Lincoln Cent
- 1877 Indian Cent
- 1873 Doubled LIBERTY Indian Cent
- 1914-D Lincoln Cent
- 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent
- 1992-D Close AM Lincoln Cent
- 1909-S Indian Cent
Why Did Pennies Change Design?
Other Indian Head and Lincoln Pennies to Look For
What To Do With Valuable Pennies?
1943 Copper Lincoln Penny
Many coin dealers have war stories to tell about 1943 Copper Pennies. 99.9% of all 1943 cents were struck using Zinc-coated Steel planchets. An extremely small number were accidentally made using the pre-1943 Bronze planchet.
The most recent auction record for a 1943-P Copper Penny is $240,000 with pieces as high as $372,000 for the Philadelphia Mint coins. The Denver and San Francisco coins are even rarer with the finest 1943-D selling for more than $800,000 and the nicest 1943-S bringing just over a half million dollars.
Even if you are absolutely, positively, 100% certain that you have one of the authentic 1943 Copper Penny Errors, the chances are extremely strong that you don’t have a genuine one. While it is not impossible to find a rare coin in circulation, most pennies you find in your pocket change are still going to be face value.
If you insist you do have one, we’ll provide you with information on how to get it certified by a grading company. If it’s real, we’ll be thrilled to place it in an auction for you or even purchase it outright.