Rare Pennies You Should Hold Onto... Including The 1943 Penny

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I get a lot of queries for the following: 1943 wheat penny, 1943 steel penny, 1943 silver penny, 1943 Lincoln penny, 1943 copper penny, and 1943 penny value. Geesh... I guess you all have a bunch of 1943 pennies in your possession!

I did a little research... What follows are a number of rare pennies you should hold onto if you ever come across them in loose change or coin collections.

Let's start with the 1943 penny:

1943-s-penny-photo-by-rat-phlegm.jpg

1943 Penny

In recent years a "1943 S" (San Francisco Mint) copper coin has gone for about $60,000 dollars at auction. I remember the prices from the P (Philadelphia) mint ranging from around $10,000 many years ago to $73,000 in recent times. There are many counterfeits of this coin. Source


The easiest way to determine if a 1943 one cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is not copper and is worth about 50 cents. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert. Source

Is your penny a copper or zinc cent?



1943 penny.Only forty 1943 copper-alloy cents are known to remain in existence. Coin experts speculate that they were struck by accident when copper-alloy 1-cent blanks remained in the press hopper when production began on the new steel pennies. Source


1974 Penny

In 1974, as a test, there were 1,579,324 Pennies made of pure Aluminum struck (produced) by the U.S. Mint. These were never circulated and most were later destroyed. Source


1955 Penny

Sometimes a penny is worth more than a penny. If you think you're seeing double, save that coin. A 1955 penny has a "double-die date." In uncirculated condition -- not a blemish on it -- it's worth about $27,000. Even in less than perfect condition it'll fatten your bank account to the tune of $570. Source


1936 Penny

In uncirculated condition, it would be priced at $6-$10 retail, but even the slightest wear is going to drop the value down to about 25 cents. Source


1924-S Penny

If the coin is circulated, it is worth between 25c and $10. If it is in mint condition, it could be worth $100 or more. Source


1909 Penny

Lincoln pennies made from 1909 to 1958 were designed by Victor D. Brenner. His initials V.D.B. were on a limited quantity of the 1909 pennies making it one of the most sought after pennies for collecting. Source


1877 Penny

The 1877 is considered the most crucial key date of the Indian Head cent series. The coin has demonstrated moderate to strong gains in just about every condition over time frames short and long. Source


1856 Penny

The inaugural small cent, the 1856 Flying Eagle cent had a mintage of only 1000. The addition of an 1856 cent in any acceptable condition is a prudent buy. Source


1844 Penny

A "Braided Hair Large Cent" was just an everyday penny back in 1844. If it is circulated, it is probably worth between $7 and $80. Source


1793 Penny

The most "expensive" penny is a rare one minted in 1793. Only four are known to exist today and their worth is estimated at more than $275,000. Source


1792 Penny

The chocolate-colored penny, the ninth known example of its type, bears the date 1792, an inscription "Parent of Science & Industry: Liberty" and the likeness of a woman's head representing Miss Liberty. Source


About Silver Pennies...


How To Find The True Value Of YOUR Penny:

1. Check online:

Heritage Galleries & Auctioneers

Professional Coin Grading Service

2. Check a coin pricing guide:


RELATED:
Rare Lincoln-Kennedy Penny

Rare U.S. Coins: Which Nickels, Pennies, Dimes & Quarters To Keep

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564 Comments

Joshua said:

Tracy, it sounds like that penny must have been special to somebody! The 1947 penny would ordinarily be worth a few cents if it was not gold-plated. Such pieces are actually considered altered or novelty pieces, and really do not have much if any value in the mainstream numismatic market.

Maybe the ring is pure gold, though...I don't know about the value of that. Perhaps a jeweler may be able to help you in that department....

TRACY said:

i have a 1947 gold peeny thats in side a gold ring, not sure what's it worth so pls can someone tell me thanks

Jessica said:

Hello,
I have three 1943 Steel Wheat back pennies. I have the S, P, and the D. I was just wondering if they are worth anything? I done the magnet test and each penny stuck to the magnet.
If you know anything about this penny I would appreciate it very much!

zach said:

I found a 1971 D penny with an engraved face over the D. It is facing Lincoln. It looks like it could be JFK but I'm not sure. Anyone have any idea about this?
Thanks
Zach

Melina Tello said:

I have two pennies from 1943 and both are metal, one of the penny's is 1943S, both where tested with a magnet. ARE they worth anything.

nija said:

hi
i have a 1918 1954 & 1956 penny are they worth anything?
thanks

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Photos

  • 1955 doubled die cent. public domain photo
  • A proof coin set and a mint coin set. Do you know the differences? photo by Joshua
  • Seated Liberty dollar - Photo is public domain
  • Indian head cent -Photo is public domain
  • American Civil War token - Photo in public domain
  • Coin folder: a 50 state quarters album. photo by Ronald Heft
  • A state quarters collection. photo by CK
  • The long line of people who were waiting to be among the first to buy the Hawaii State Quarter from a bank in Hawaii the day it was first made available to the public. photo by nsub1
  • Here's an example of a State Quarter folder album. photo by Joshua
  • 2006 50 dollar one-ounce gold coin
  • 2006 proof silver eagle coin
  • A 1999 gold eagle coin against Christmas wrapping paper. photo by Joshua

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