Valuable Coins That Might Be Laying Around the House

The 1914-S Lincoln Penny was minted in San Francisco, and around four million of them were minted at the time. But it’s not the number of this rare penny that makes it stand out from the crowd. What makes it truly unique is the fact that the 3.11-gram coin was made with a much higher percentage of copper than the average coin. It’s not hard to understand why this one’s a special find.

Many of the coins on this list have featured design flaws, and it’s these design flaws that make them priceless to some collectors. After all, very few of them exist, making them some of the rarest coins of all time. And that’s exactly why so many people are after the 1858 Flying Eagle Cent Penny. This rare coin not only has one engraving flaw, it actually has three engraving flaws!

In the coin world, the gap between numbers can make a huge difference to the quality of the coin. And when it came to the Indian Cent penny, two different designs made their way into circulation. There was the “Open 3,” whereby the gap between the numbers seven and three in the year “1873” was wide, and then there was the “Closed 3,” where the gap was neat and much smaller.

By looking at this penny, can you see what makes it so special? Well, if you look closely, you might see that the year 1888 was actually printed on top of the year 1887. You can see a small amount of the number seven popping out under the number eight, and that’s what makes it so rare and valuable. And while only a few of them exist today, those with an uncirculated mint state could be sitting in a gold mine.

There are so many different coins out there, but have you ever heard of the “King of Coins”? Well, that honor has been bestowed upon the 1804 Silver Dollar. But one thing you might not know about the Silver Dollar is that it’s not just one coin. There are three classes of them overall, and with a price tag of $4.1 million attached to it, there’s no doubt about the fact that Class I is the rarest of them all.

Over the years, many variations of the Lady Liberty Cap cent made their way into circulation. But one of the most impressive subtypes was the 1793 Flowing Hair Liberty Cap Large Cent Penny. This particular variation was type III of the coin and was minted in 1793 as a way to honor those who bravely served in the American Revolution. And the reason why it’s so rare and expensive is because of its appearance.

The money business is full of scandal, and there’s no doubt about the fact that the 1969 S Lincoln Penny Doubled Die Obverse has seen its fair share of drama over the years. The copper and zinc double die coin was first minted in 1969, and it’s believed that the double die feature was a result of improper preparation of the die. However, that’s not what made it famous. People trying to forge it made it famous.

If you didn’t already know, Wheat Pennies are incredibly rare – and they could result in you pocketing some serious cash. And the 1922 Lincoln No D Strong Reverse and Weak Obverse Wheat Penny are no different. Three versions of this coin made their way into circulation, but this particular variation was the sharpest and the clearest of them all, thanks to the fresh die. However, this coin didn’t spend a lot of time in circulation.

It’s clear to see just by looking at this rare penny that it’s a special one. The flying eagle image is iconic and one that collectors love. However, that’s not the only feature that makes this coin stand out from the crowd. This 4.70-gram coin was originally much larger, but the government decided to reduce the size and mix the copper with nickel in 1856 when they started to struggle with the cost of mintage.

If you’re not sure whether you have a 1907 Golden Eagle Wire Edge coin in your collection, there is a way to check. Your coin should be minted between the years 1938 and 1907 and should offer two different sides. One side offers an image of Lady Liberty with a crown that reads “Liberty,” while the other is a heraldic eagle. Amazingly, this is one of the most used minted coins in U.S. history, but it’s still worth a fortune.

Sometimes a coin flaw is barely visible, but even the tiniest imperfection could cause it to be drawn out of circulation. This was the case for the 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent, as this rare Wheat Penny suffered a design flaw as a result of poor die stamping. If you look closely, you should be able to see that the letters and numbers on this coin were actually stamped twice and in slightly different places. This makes them overlap.

The Indian Head Penny will always be one of the most desirable coins for collectors. Not only is the image iconic, but the coins themselves are unique. In the case of the 1872 Indian Head Penny, this one stands out from the crowd because it was the lowest minted among the whole series of Indian Head pennies. It’s no wonder collectors look for this gem.

Although some of the coins on this list have been found in attics across the United States, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll have a 1913 Liberty Head Nickel lying around. That’s because only five of these coins made their way into circulation before they were destroyed – although rumors of a sixth coin have been bandied around for decades. And it’s this rarity that has made it one of the most valuable pennies in the world.

Rare Wheat Pennies don’t come up very often, but there are some that are infamous in the coin-collecting community. And the1955 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Wheat Cent is one of them. Although this coin isn’t exactly old, an engraving error is what makes it stand out from the crowd. That’s because the letters and numbers on this coin were duplicated during the minting process, which makes the letters look 3D.

Although many of the coins on this list are pennies, cents have also found their place in the collector’s market. This is especially true for the 1795 Reeded Edge Cent. In fact, this coin is considered to be the rarest of all of the big cent coins! And that’s because the coin was developed as more of an experiment rather than for general circulation, but they were extremely low-grade.

With its bright-red copper color, the Indian Head Penny is considered to be one of the best-preserved thanks to its high copper content. But that’s not the only reason why it’s considered to be one of the most valuable pennies out there. Only 852,500 of these coins ever made their way into circulation, and the iconic Indian head is now a popular design for collectors across the globe. So, it’s worth a lot.

Most of the coins in circulation today were made on purpose, but did you know that the 1944-D Lincoln Penny was actually made by accident? Rumors suggest that the rare penny was made by mistakingly striking a blank silver coin. But in 1944, a copper planchet version of the coin made its way into circulation. And it’s been noted that these coins either have an “S” or a “D” mint mark.

With a price tag of $7.6 million attached to it, there’s no doubt about the fact that the 1907 Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle is one of the most expensive and valuable coins out there. The rare penny was designed back in 1907 by the esteemed sculptor Augustus Saint-Guadens. He was tasked by President Roosevelt to create a design that would make people fall back in love with the coinage system. And this is what he produced.

Coin mistakes aren’t exactly common, but they’re not uncommon, either. Sometimes mistakes do happen, and that’s exactly what happened in 1943 during the production of the Bronze Lincoln Penny. Although the rare penny was made from copper, zinc, and tin, it was mistakenly struck in bronze. It wasn’t meant to be circulated but was eventually found in circulation in 1957 by a 14-year-old boy while he was looking through his loose change.

If you have a 1914-D Lincoln Penny lying around, there’s a high chance that it’s not in great condition. However, that’s to be expected. These valuable pennies are known for their poor survival rates and their poor condition – and that’s because they were in circulation for years. But despite this, they’re still considered to be valuable. And that’s why collectors have often tried to alter the 1944 D Lincoln Pennies to look like them.

Lady Liberty has adorned American money for centuries, and in 1825 she even adorned one side of the 1825 Coronet Liberty Head Large Cent. But this coin isn’t just valuable because of her presence. It’s actually considered to be a rare coin because the design was slated by the general public, with some telling the master engraver Robert Scot that he had designed “a spectacularly ugly head of Ms. Liberty.”

As you can tell from the name of this penny, this coin was a little different from other Lincoln pennies out there. In fact, the 1909 V.D.B. Matte Proof Lincoln Penny was one of the first Lincoln pennies in circulation. Not only was it struck with a matte-proof die, but you can see this from the inclusion of the designer’s “V.D.B” initials at the bottom. These initials were later removed, which makes this one extremely rare.

While many of the rare pennies on this list are harmless, the same can’t be said for the 1933 Double Eagle. This coin has been associated with horror stories, superstition, and even the criminal underbelly. That’s because this coin was never meant to be put into circulation. However, many of them somehow made their way out into the world – and since then, the coin has been associated with extremely bad luck.

With such an impressive price tag on a coin, you’d expect it to be pretty special. And it’s safe to say that this one is extremely special. That’s largely because it’s so old! The Edward III Florin can be traced back to 1343, making it one of the oldest coins to ever be sold at auction. But what makes this coin even more impressive is that only three of them are known to have survived.

Rare Wheat Pennies are a favorite among coin collectors. The two stalks of wheat on the coin have become a legendary image, especially as they were replaced by the Lincoln Memorial in 1959. Because of this, Wheat Pennies minted before this year are a hot commodity. This is certainly the case for the 1936 Lincoln Wheat Cent (Doubled Die Obverse) anyway, especially as this particular coin had a subtle engraving error.

In 1870, Indian Head Cents were all the rage. The design was extremely popular; the cents were in high circulation. Because of this, mints across the country continued to produce this coin – but by the time 1971 came around, the die was pretty old and worn. Because of this, it was less powerful and wasn’t as able to create a strong imprint in the coin. This is seen in the 1871 Indian Head Cent with its shallow “N.”

While double dates can be fun in the real world, they’re not as great for mints who have to deal with the flaws in their production. However, countless coins have been stamped with double dates over the course of history, and the 1894 Indian Head Cent is a prime example of that. This rare and valuable penny stands out from the crowd due to the fact that the number “94” was mistakenly stamped twice.

Those who know the history of coin mintage will know that 1926 was a bad year – especially in San Francisco. Although it’s not known exactly why, coin mintage was extremely low that year. But that’s not all. The quality of coins was also very poor that year due to the fact that the dies were heavily used. But there was one good coin to come from 1926, and that was the 1926-S Lincoln Penny.

The Indian Head design was hugely popular during the late 1800s, but by the time the 1900s came around, many believed that the design had been used too much. Because of this, the government decided to focus on new designs that celebrated President Lincoln. And while the Indian Head coin wasn’t axed altogether, very few of them were minted. And this 1909 S Indian Head Cent was one of them.

During the early 1800s, Lady Liberty was on many coins – thanks to master engraver Robert Scot. He designed a side profile of Lady Liberty and drew her so that she had a “Liberty” headband around her head. However, he also wanted to depict her in a more mature way. And while he stood by his design, it did not go down well with those that saw it. In fact, most people hated it.

During the 1800s, most of the coins in circulation were die-stamped by hand. But as they didn’t have machines to do this for them, this left much more room for error – and it’s these errors that coin collectors look out for today. In terms of the 1869 Indian Head Cent, the error can be seen within the number nine. And if you look closely, you can see that the number nine was stamped twice.

Although there’s a chance that you might have some of the coins on this list, the chances of you having a 1795 Cap Large Cent are extremely low. That’s because only three of these coins were ever minted – and it’s believed that they weren’t even minted at an official mint. Instead, rumors suggest that they were designed and produced by one single man looking for an elusive government contract.

1857 was a life-changing year for American currency. After all, the Large Cent had been a staple in the currency business for decades. But in 1875, the government decided to scrap these larger and more expensive coins for something more affordable. They didn’t stop producing them immediately, though. Instead, they started to phase new, smaller coins into the system – which is why these 1857 Flying Eagle Cents were produced that year.

While many of the rare and valuable coins on this list may have been minted way before you were born, this one was probably minted even after your children were born! Yes, the 1992 D Lincoln Memorial Cent made its way into circulation just over two decades ago, but that doesn’t mean that it’s any less special. In fact, collectors will pay over $500 for it if they find one in an uncirculated mint state.

In 1864, the United States government made a bold move when it came to the make-up of their pennies. Instead of sticking with their copper-nickel mix, they decided to switch things up and try out a bronze alloy. So, when it came to making the 1864 Indian Head Penny, they used copper, zinc, and copper. And to make it stand out from the crowd, they added the letter “L” to Lady Liberty’s ribbon.

While many of the most expensive coins on this list are incredibly old, the same can’t be said for the 2007 C$1M Coin. However, the hefty price tag of this coin makes sense when you realize that the rare coin was made from 99.999% pure gold. It’s considered to be the world’s largest coin and even holds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. And we have the Canadian Royal Mint to thank for this one.

As 1999 was just under two decades ago, there’s a high chance that you have a few 1999 coins lying around your house. But what makes this particular coin so popular? Well, the 1999 Lincoln Memorial Cent isn’t too out-of-the-ordinary when you first look at it. But when you take a closer look, you can see that there were two different styles to this one design. There was a “closed” style and a “wide style.”