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25 Most Valuable Pennies Worth Money (2024 Guide)

Discover the 25 most valuable pennies worth real money, from the 1943 copper penny to rare Indian Head cents.

Pennies are the most commonly found US coins, but some are worth far more than their face value. From rare mint errors to low-mintage key dates, certain pennies have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. This guide covers the 25 most valuable pennies you might find in pocket change, inherited collections, or old coin rolls.

Values listed are approximate ranges based on recent auction results and dealer prices. The actual value of any coin depends on its condition (grade), authenticity, and current market demand. Coins graded by PCGS or NGC typically sell for more than raw (ungraded) examples.

25 Most Valuable Pennies

#	Coin	Year	Why It's Valuable	Est. Value
1	1943 Copper Penny	1943	Bronze planchet error — nearly all 1943 cents were struck on zinc-coated steel. A handful were accidentally struck on leftover copper planchets. Only about 20 known.	$100,000 – $1,700,000
2	1944 Steel Penny	1944	Steel planchet error — the reverse of the 1943 error. A few 1944 cents were struck on leftover steel planchets instead of copper.	$50,000 – $400,000
3	1856 Flying Eagle Cent	1856	Pattern coin with only about 2,000 struck as samples for Congress. The first US small cent, preceding the Indian Head penny.	$5,000 – $25,000
4	1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent	1909	Designer Victor D. Brenner's initials (VDB) appeared on the reverse but were removed after public outcry. Only 484,000 S-mint examples struck.	$700 – $3,000
5	1955 Doubled Die Obverse	1955	Dramatic doubled die error visible to the naked eye. The date and inscriptions appear doubled. Approximately 20,000 entered circulation.	$1,000 – $25,000
6	1922 No D Lincoln Cent	1922	Lincoln cents were only struck at Denver in 1922, but heavily worn dies produced coins with a weak or missing D mintmark. Strong 'No D' examples are rare.	$500 – $8,000
7	1914-D Lincoln Cent	1914	Low mintage of 1.19 million makes this the key regular-issue Lincoln cent. Heavily counterfeited — authentication is essential.	$200 – $5,000
8	1877 Indian Head Cent	1877	The key date of the Indian Head series with the lowest regular-issue mintage of just 852,500. Highly sought in all grades.	$750 – $5,000
9	1909-S Indian Head Cent	1909	Last year of the Indian Head series, San Francisco mint. Only 309,000 struck — the lowest mintage Indian Head cent.	$400 – $1,500
10	1872 Indian Head Cent	1872	Semi-key date with a mintage of only 4.04 million. Scarce in all grades, especially Fine and above.	$150 – $2,000
11	1908-S Indian Head Cent	1908	First San Francisco mint Indian Head cent. Mintage of 1.11 million. Key branch-mint issue.	$75 – $1,000
12	1969-S Doubled Die Obverse	1969	Dramatic doubled die with strong doubling on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST. The Secret Service initially confiscated examples thinking they were counterfeit.	$25,000 – $100,000
13	1972 Doubled Die Obverse	1972	Strong doubling visible on the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST. More available than the 1955 or 1969-S but still commands strong premiums.	$300 – $1,500
14	1931-S Lincoln Cent	1931	Depression-era low mintage of only 866,000. Many were saved by collectors, so uncirculated examples exist but remain scarce.	$75 – $400
15	1924-D Lincoln Cent	1924	Low Denver mintage of 2.52 million. Scarce in Fine and above. Often weakly struck.	$30 – $500
16	1909-S Lincoln Cent (No VDB)	1909	After the VDB initials were removed, only 1.82 million S-mint cents were produced — still a low mintage for the series.	$75 – $400
17	1955 Poor Man's Doubled Die	1955	A less dramatic doubled die than the famous 1955 DDO, but still collectible. Also called the 1955/55 RPM.	$25 – $200
18	1873 Indian Head Cent (Closed 3)	1873	The closed-3 variety is scarcer than the open-3. Low overall mintage makes both varieties collectible.	$50 – $800
19	1871 Indian Head Cent	1871	Low mintage of 3.93 million. Scarce in any grade above Good, and rare in Uncirculated.	$100 – $1,200
20	1866 Indian Head Cent	1866	First year of the 'with shield' reverse design. Mintage of 9.83 million, but survivors are scarce in high grades.	$50 – $700
21	1864 Indian Head Cent (L on Ribbon)	1864	Designer James Longacre's initial 'L' appears on the ribbon in Liberty's hair. Only some 1864 bronze cents have this feature.	$50 – $1,000
22	1926-S Lincoln Cent	1926	Mintage of 4.55 million. While not extremely rare, high-grade examples are very scarce. Semi-key date.	$10 – $250
23	1914-S Lincoln Cent	1914	Often overshadowed by the 1914-D, the S-mint issue had 4.14 million struck. Underrated semi-key date.	$20 – $300
24	1922-D Weak D Lincoln Cent	1922	Less dramatic than the No D variety, the weak D shows a faint mintmark. More common but still collected as a variety.	$25 – $200
25	1959-D Lincoln Cent (Mule Error)	1959	Extremely rare — reportedly struck with a wheat reverse die instead of the new Memorial reverse. Authenticity debated; if genuine, worth a fortune.	$50,000+ (if authentic)

How to Check If Your Penny Is Valuable

1. Check the Date

The date is the first thing to examine. Key dates like 1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 No D, and 1931-S are always worth checking carefully. Any penny dated before 1934 deserves a closer look, and anything before 1900 is almost certainly worth more than face value. Use a magnifying glass if the date is hard to read.

2. Look for the Mint Mark

On Lincoln cents from 1909-1967, the mint mark appears below the date on the obverse. S (San Francisco) and D (Denver) marks can significantly affect value. No mint mark means Philadelphia. The 1922 cent is unusual because only Denver struck pennies that year, so a 1922 with no visible D is a valuable variety.

3. Test the Metal Composition

The 1943 copper penny and 1944 steel penny are the most famous composition errors. A genuine 1943 copper cent will not stick to a magnet (steel cents will). If you have a 1943 penny that does not stick to a magnet, it could be worth over $100,000 — but be aware that many 1943 cents have been copper-plated as novelties. Weigh the coin: a genuine copper cent weighs 3.1 grams while a steel cent weighs 2.7 grams.

4. Examine for Doubling

Doubled die errors are among the most valuable penny varieties. Use a 10x loupe to examine the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST for any signs of doubling. The 1955, 1969-S, and 1972 doubled dies are visible to the naked eye, but many other doubled die varieties require magnification. Look for a shelf-like doubling, not machine doubling (which shows flat, shiny marks and has little value).

5. Assess the Condition

A coin's grade dramatically affects its value. A 1909-S VDB in Good-4 might be worth $700, while an MS-65 example can fetch $3,000 or more. Look for remaining luster, sharpness of Lincoln's hair and beard, and the clarity of the wheat ears on the reverse. Avoid cleaning coins — even gentle cleaning destroys value.

6. Get Professional Authentication

If you believe you have a valuable penny — especially a 1943 copper, 1944 steel, or any coin worth over $500 — send it to PCGS or NGC for professional authentication and grading. Counterfeits of rare dates are extremely common, particularly for the 1914-D and 1909-S VDB. Professional grading costs $20-$150 depending on the service tier and is almost always worth the investment for valuable coins.

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