The Lincoln Wheat Penny holds a special place in the world of American numismatics. These small copper coins were minted from 1909 to 1958 and today some of these coins have proved to be extremely rare and valuable. The price of some rare coins has reached millions of dollars. Imagine, if you find a coin that is worth millions and crores!
Today we will tell you about five such Lincoln wheat pennies, whose total value is about $12 million. If you have a box or piggy bank of old coins, then definitely check it carefully—there may be a priceless treasure hidden in it!
1. 1943 Copper Wheat Penny – $1,000,000 to $1,750,000
This coin was accidentally minted and is now one of the rarest and most expensive coins in the world.
➡ How did this rare coin come to be?
In 1943, due to World War II, the U.S. Mint decided to mint all pennies in steel and zinc-coated metal to save copper. But by mistake, some old copper blanks from 1942 went into the 1943 coin mintage, creating some copper 1943 Wheat pennies.
➡ How many coins exist?
Only 40 coins of this type are known today, and they can be worth anywhere from $1 million to $1.75 million. In 2010, a 1943-D copper penny sold for $1.7 million.
➡ How to identify if your coin is real or fake?
✅ Check it with a magnet. If it is made of steel, it will stick to the magnet. But if it is made of copper, it will not stick to the magnet.
✅ The real coin is brownish-copper in color.
✅ There are many fake coins in the market, so attempts have been made to tamper with 1948 coins to make them look like 1943.
2. 1944 Steel Wheat Penny – $75,000 to $125,000
This coin was made by mistake just like the 1943 copper penny, but the case was the opposite.
➡ How did this coin become rare?
In 1944, the U.S. Mint began making copper coins again, but by mistake some of the steel planchets used in 1943 went into 1944 penny production. This created some 1944 Steel Wheat Pennies.
➡ How many coins exist?
Only 30 coins have ever been confirmed, making it extremely rare. In 2021, a high-quality 1944-S steel penny sold for $408,000.
➡ How to tell if your coin is real?
✅ Test it with a magnet—a steel coin will stick to a magnet, while a copper coin will not.
✅ A genuine 1944 Steel Wheat Penny is silver-gray in color.
✅ A genuine steel penny weighs 2.7 grams, while a regular copper penny weighs 3.11 grams.
3. 1955 Double Die Obverse Wheat Penny – $50,000 to $100,000
This coin is an example of a famous error by the US Mint.
➡ How did this coin become rare?
In 1955, a misaligned die caused letters and numbers on some coins to appear double. The mistake was discovered too late, and by then these coins had already reached the market.
➡ How many coins exist?
This type of coin is still owned by many collectors, and if it is in good condition, it can be worth more than $100,000. In 2018, an MS65 red graded coin sold for $114,000.
➡ How to identify?
✅ The coin has clearly visible doublets on the obverse side: “LIBERTY”, “IN GOD WE TRUST” and the date (1955).
✅ The doubling is very clear and evenly spaced on the original coin.
4. 1909-S VDB Wheat Penny – $50,000 to $100,000
This is one of the earliest coins in the Lincoln Wheat Penny series, and has great historical value.
➡ How did this coin become rare?
In 1909, when the Lincoln Wheat Penny was first issued, the letters “VDB”, the name of designer Victor David Brenner, were added to the reverse side of the coin. But some people objected to the letters being too large, and the design was quickly removed.
➡ How many coins exist?
Only 484,000 coins of this edition were minted, making it extremely rare. In 2014, a top quality coin sold for $117,500.
➡ How to identify?
✅ Look for the letters “VDB” at the bottom of the coin’s reverse side.
✅ Look for the “S” on the front of the coin, indicating it was minted at the San Francisco Mint.
5. 1914-D Wheat Penny – $50,000 to $100,000
➡ Why is this coin valuable?
This is not a flawed coin, but rather, it is valuable due to its rarity. Only 1.1 million coins were minted, and most of them were worn out in circulation. Surviving coins in good condition are extremely expensive. In 2018, a high-grade 1914-D penny sold for $158,625.
➡ How to identify?
✅ There should be a “D” marked below the date (1914)—this indicates it was minted at the Denver Mint.
✅ Many counterfeit coins have the “D” etched onto the Philadelphia 1914 coin.
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Do you have any rare Lincoln Wheat Pennies?
The prices for these coins prove that treasure can be found anywhere! The next time you see old coins, check carefully—you could become a millionaire!