Pennies are some of the most exciting coins to collect because you can find them virtually anywhere. Here are list of 100 pennies worth money. That being said, there are so many of them that it can be difficult to know whether you have a penny worth a lot of money or not. To make things a little easier, we put together a list of the top 100 most valuable pennies. We haven’t included “special strikes” or proof coins, so these are coins you could have a higher chance of finding in your everyday pocket change. Learn more about the top 100 pennies worth money with Bullion Shark!
Table of Contents
History of the Penny
The penny dates all the way back to ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, who used small copper or bronze coins as a means of exchange.
Here in the United States, the penny was one of the first coins produced by the U.S. Mint after it was established in 1792. The first penny was larger than what we use today and made of pure copper. The modern penny is made with a combination of copper and zinc — 100% copper pennies proved to be worth more than the face value.
The penny’s first design depicted a woman with flowing hair symbolizing Liberty, which remained on the penny for over 60 years. In 1857, the size of the coin got smaller, and nickel was added to the composition. That same year a new design rolled out featuring a flying eagle on the coin’s obverse and a wreath on the reverse. The “Indian Head” design was used from 1859 to 1909.
In 1909, Abraham Lincoln became the first president to be featured on American coinage. The image of Lincoln on the penny’s obverse was designed by Victor David Brenner, and it’s still used today. The coin’s reverse had a couple of design changes between 1909 and 2008, from two sheaves of wheat to the Lincoln Memorial.
In 2009, the United States Mint issued four different penny designs throughout the year as part of the Lincoln Bicentennial One Cent Program. The themes were chosen to represent the four major aspects of Lincoln’s life:
- Birth and Early Childhood in Kentucky
- Formative Years in Indiana
- Professional Life in Illinois
- Presidency in Washington, DC
What Impacts Penny Value?
One of the most important factors that impact a coin’s value is the mintage. The mintage number refers to how many examples of a particular issue were originally produced at the U.S. Mint. A lower mintage can make coins more difficult to obtain, which will increase their value.
A coin’s age, design, and bullion content also play a major role in its value. Older coins typically become more scarce over the years as some are lost or destroyed. Additionally, certain designs have historical significance, which can increase demand.
Regardless of the age, design, or composition of a coin, the condition it’s in will have a direct effect on its value. The coin’s color, tone, and level of wear and tear will be inspected during the coin grading process.
Most Valuable Pennies From the Late 1800s
Most pennies from the 1800s will be very worn. It’s rare to find coins that are over 100 years old with a lot of detail remaining. Very few of these coins have survived in good condition, which increases the demand from coin collectors and the value. So, what pennies are worth money?
1. 1872 Indian Head Penny
The 1872 Indian Head Penny is one of the rarest in the series due to low mintage numbers. Even though the 1871 Indian Head Penny had a lower mintage, the 1872 seems to carry a higher premium in most grades. Approximately 5,000 of these one-cent coins are still in existence, with all grades combined.
2. 1877 Indian Head Penny
The 1877 Indian Head penny is undeniably the most desirable coin in the entire circulation strike series. It was minted at the Philadelphia Mint. It has the second lowest mintage, with only the 1909-S Indian Head penny having a lower mintage. Even though it’s not the lowest mintage, fewer of them have survived, likely due to the fact fewer coins were collected in 1877 versus 1909.
3. 1864 Indian Head Penny–”L” on Ribbon
The 1864 Indian Head Penny with an “L” on the ribbon is one of the most famous one-cent U.S. coins. The “L” on the coin’s obverse is there to represent the designer’s (James Longacre) initials. Indian cents from 1859 to 1864 do not have the designer’s initials. The “L” wasn’t added until the end of the year, creating a very popular variety for coin collecting.
Most Valuable Pennies From the Early to Mid-1900s
Knowing which pennies are key dates or rarities can make it easier to identify which Lincoln Wheat cents are the most valuable coins. Some Lincoln cents are rare coins worth a lot of money, while others are not.
4. 1914-S Lincoln Penny
The 1914-S Lincoln penny was issued from the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of 4,137,000. It’s part of the Lincoln Cent series, which began in 1909. The penny’s design features a portrait of Lincoln on the obverse and two wheat ears on the reverse.
5. 1914-D Lincoln Penny
The 1914-D Lincoln penny is a key date because it had one of the lowest mintages (1,193,000) from that year, making it very scarce. To put it in perspective, over 75 million examples were issued from the Denver Mint in 1914.
6. 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny
The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny is one of the most popular and widely known Lincoln cents. The popularity partially stems from the controversy surrounding the placement of the designer’s initials on the bottom of the coin’s reverse. It’s also due to a very low mintage of 484,000 pieces.
7. 1944-D Lincoln Penny on a Zinc-Coated Steel Planchet
1944-D Lincoln Pennies are sometimes referred to as steel pennies or silver pennies due to their color. In 1944, nearly all pennies were supposed to transition from steel back to copper (bronze). These penny errors were produced because a small number of steel planchets were leftover from 1943 and got mixed in. Steel wheat pennies were produced at all three Mints, but only seven to ten steel cents from 1944 with a “D” mint mark still exist.
8. 1969-S Lincoln Penny–Doubled Die Obverse
The 1969-S Lincoln Penny doubled die obverse is an extremely rare penny and is known for being one of the most elusive and valuable coins of all Lincoln cents. The doubling on the 1969-S is prominent in the date and easily visible to the naked eye. More than a couple of dozen of these rare coins have appeared in circulation, with more specimens believed to exist.
Related Article : 12 Most Valuable Lincoln Penny Worth Money (With Pictures)
Honorable Mentions: Valuable Pennies worth money)
| Coin | Worth |
|---|---|
| 1982 Lincoln Penny | $45 |
| 2006 D Lincoln Penny | $35 |
| 2002 D Lincoln Penny | $30 |
| 1975 D Lincoln Penny | $30 |
| 2002 Lincoln Penny | $27 |
| 2005 D Lincoln Penny | $25 |
| 2014 S Shield Penny | $25 |
| 2012 D Shield Penny | $25 |
| 1968 S Lincoln Penny | $25 |
| 2012 S Shield Penny | $25 |
| 2013 S Shield Penny | $25 |
| 2013 D Shield Penny | $25 |
| 2017 S Shield Penny | $22 |
| 2010 D Shield Penny | $21 |
| 2015 S Shield Penny | $20 |
| 1993 D Lincoln Penny | $20 |
| 2012 Shield Penny | $20 |
| 2013 Shield Penny | $20 |
| 2016 S Shield Penny | $18 |
| 2007 S Lincoln Penny | $16 |
| 1968 D Lincoln Penny | $16 |
| 2006 Lincoln Penny | $16 |
| 2020 S Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2021 S Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2022 S Shield Penny | $15 |
| 1968 Lincoln Penny | $15 |
| 1969 Lincoln Penny | $15 |
| 1970 D Lincoln Penny | $15 |
| 2014 D Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2018 S Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2019 W Shield Penny | $15 |
| 1970 S Lincoln Penny | $15 |
| 1992 Lincoln Penny | $15 |
| 2005 Lincoln Penny | $15 |
| 2011 S Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2014 Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2010 Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2011 Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2011 D Shield Penny | $15 |
| 2019 S Shield Penny | $14 |
| 1980 Lincoln Penny | $14 |
| 1969 S Lincoln Penny | $12 |
| 2009 S Shield Penny | $12 |
| 2009 S Shield Penny | $12 |
| 1966 Lincoln Penny | $12 |
| 1967 Lincoln Penny | $12 |
| 1969 D Lincoln Penny | $12 |
| 2010 S Shield Penny | $10 |
| 1995 Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 1980 D Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 1978 Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 1975 Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 2004 Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 2001 Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 2000 Lincoln Penny | $9 |
| 1993 Lincoln Penny | $8 |
| 2018 Shield Penny | $8 |
| 2019 Shield Penny | $8 |
| 2003 Lincoln Penny | $8 |
| 2000 D Lincoln Penny | $8 |
| 2001 D Lincoln Penny | $8 |
| 1978 D Lincoln Penny | $7 |
| 2017 D Shield Penny | $7 |
| 2007 Lincoln Penny | $7 |
| 2016 Shield Penny | $7 |
| 2008 Lincoln Penny | $7 |
| 1998 Lincoln Penny | $7 |
| 1979 Lincoln Penny | $7 |
| 2001 S Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 1979 D Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 1981 Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 2003 D Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 1991 Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 1990 Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 1996 Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 2008 D Lincoln Penny | $6 |
| 2009 Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 2004 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1998 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1976 Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1992 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1995 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1991 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1997 Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 2009 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1981 D Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 1999 Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 2017 Shield Penny | $5 |
| 1983 Lincoln Penny | $5 |
| 2010 S Lincoln Penny | $5 |
By keeping these dates and varieties in mind, you can better determine which pennies are worth more than their face value and could be valuable to collectors.
Check : 1943 Steel Penny Value 2020 Update
