Is it worth saving wheat pennies?

“There are millions and millions of wheat pennies and most commonly they trade for three-to-five cents a piece. If you're looking for a particular date, it can be much, much more than that. The rarest is the 1909 VDB. Those can be worth anywhere from $700 to $1,500 depending on the coin's grade.


What wheat pennies are worth keeping?

The 10 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies (cents)
  • 1917 Doubled Die: $3,000 - $6,000.
  • 1955-P DDO: $4,000 - $16,000.
  • 1922-D No D Strong Reverse: $12,000 - $30,000.
  • 1944-P Steel: $50,000+
  • 1944-D Steel: $60,000+
  • 1958-P DDO: $100,000 - $200,000.
  • 1943 Bronze: $300,000+
  • 1943-S Bronze: $500,000+


What years of a wheat penny are worth the most?

Considered to be the most valuable of the non-error Wheat Pennies, the 1914 D Wheat Penny commands an asking price range from $281 to $4,268.


Should I save my old pennies?

So, your best option is to keep those copper pennies until they get rid of the penny, and sell them then. It will be a nice way to make so money! It might seem not worth it now, but in 2026 you will smile upon the day you started to save copper pennies! Thank you for reading, and good luck coin roll hunting!

What year pennies are worth saving?

Lincoln pennies that were minted between 1959 and 1982 tend to be worth more since they are almost 100 percent copper, rather than an alloy. Improperly prepared dies can result in coins with a "double" image.


Key Date Wheat Pennies to Look For Worth Good Money



Why is a 1982 penny worth $10000?

So for the past 30 years, pennies have been made with an alloy comprised of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, but pennies minted before 1982 are 95% copper and 5% zinc. The price of copper has more than quadrupled over the past 10 years.

What are the best pennies to save?

So before you say, “Keep the change,” check to see if you have any of these valuable pennies:
  1. 1943 Bronze Lincoln. (Image: Heritage Auctions, HA.com) ...
  2. 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse. ...
  3. 1992 Close AM Reverse. ...
  4. 1972 Doubled Die Obverse. ...
  5. 1995 Doubled Die Obverse. ...
  6. 1999 Wide AM Reverse. ...
  7. 1983 Double Die Reverse.


Why is 1977 penny worth so much?

The San Francisco mint produced only proof pennies in 1977. Their number was limited to 3,251,152 pieces, making their price high in some cases.


Does cleaning old pennies decrease their value?

According to coin experts, cleaning any potentially collectible coins might cause them to lose value. Using chemical cleaners or scrubbing the coins could leave scratches and marks that will be easy for a skilled appraiser to pick up on.

Why should you save your pennies?

As you build the balance in your savings account, you can convert some of the money into a higher-yield savings product such as an individual retirement account (IRA) or a certificate of deposit (CD). If you are diligent in saving your pennies, your dollars will grow.

Why is 1944 wheat penny rare?

The 1944 Lincoln penny is particularly desirable in the eyes of collectors not only because of its design, but also due to its scarcity. Being that there are no more 1944 Lincolns being produced, the scarcity of these coins is constantly on the rise, thus making the coins more valuable.


Where can I sell my wheat pennies?

Where to Sell Wheat Pennies
  • Local coin sellers. The first place to start when you are looking to sell your wheat pennies is to visit the shop of a local coin seller. ...
  • Auctions. You can sell your wheat pennies at auctions if yours is a rare coin/collection. ...
  • Online websites. ...
  • Coin shows. ...
  • Pawn shops.


What are the 10 most valuable wheat pennies?

10 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies
  • 1909-S: $100-$300.
  • 1909-S Over Horizontal S: $120-$350.
  • 1914-D: $200-$2,500.
  • 1922-D No D: $500-$20,000.
  • 1909-S VDB: $700-$1,500.
  • 1955 Doubled Die: $1,000-$1,800.
  • 1944 Steel Cent: $75,000-$125,000.
  • 1943 Bronze Cent: $100,000-$200,000.


How much is a 1943 wheat penny worth?

A 1943 wheat penny with no mint mark, Philadelphia mint, is the most common of the 1943 pennies and is worth around 15 cents in average condition and up to a few dollars for nongraded coins in fine condition.


How much is a 1944 wheat penny worth?

In general, a 1944 Wheat Penny in good condition is worth about $0.15, far more than its face value, but one in mint condition can be worth up to $2.00 or more depending on how fine the condition is. The value of a 1944 Wheat Penny also depends on how many of the coins were minted.

What is a 1943 zinc penny worth?

The coin can sell for around 0.15 USD when in a good state. Expect the value to rise to 0.35 USD in fine grade, 0.48 USD in extremely fine form, and sell at 1.50 USD in the uncirculated grade.

How do you clean wheat pennies without losing value?

A great way to clean coins without doing damage to them is using a bath of salt and isopropyl alcohol. Keep in mind that this is more of an abrasive than even the sand method and can do serious damage without the proper care. Make a bath using a cup of isopropyl alcohol combined with two tablespoons of salt.


Why does vinegar clean pennies so well?

Why did the vinegar and salt clean the pennies? Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt-and vinegar is an acid. You could also clean your pennies with salt and lemon juice or orange juice, because those juices are acids, too.

Why are 1982 pennies special?

In October 1982, the Denver mint began making the coins with a smaller date. Remember, the Denver mint struck 6,012,979,368 pieces. The number includes both copper and zinc pennies. So, such large numbers made these 1982 pennies have a low market value.

What year penny is worth $1000000?

Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers baseball club, paid $1 million for the finest known 1943-S Lincoln Wheat cent on a bronze planchet. All 1943 Lincoln cents were supposed to be made of steel planchets coated with zinc.


What is the rarest penny known to man?

Just 40 of the coins — probably created by accident, on copper-alloy one-cent blanks left in the presses in the wartime years when pennies were converted to steel — are known to exist. The first 1943 copper cent was sold in 1958 for more than $40,000. In 1996, another went for a whopping $82,500.

Should I be saving copper pennies?

Canadian copper pennies have a higher copper content at 98%, the balance being zinc and tin. Why should I save Copper Alloy cents/pennies? Some 1982 and all prior years are made with 95% copper. With copper at historic high prices, each of these coins are worth much more in actual metal content, than their face value.

Are pennies before 1982 worth more?

It turns out all pennies with a date of 1981 or earlier were made from nearly pure copper, which means they are actually worth three times their face value - three cents.


What makes a 1999 penny valuable?

It's from 1999 and could be worth $4,500 thanks to a little-known error on it. What you want to look for is a 1999 penny with no mint mark, which means no letter under the year on the heads side.