What is the rarest copper penny?

The 1943 copper-alloy cent is one of the most enigmatic coins in American numismatics — and reportedly the most valuable Lincoln penny of all.

How much is a real 1943 copper penny worth?

The Rare 1943 Penny

If your 1943 penny is made out of copper, it is worth quite a bit of money, generally $10,000 or more! The reason is that the 1943 copper penny is an error coin. The United States Mint accidentally used the wrong planchet metal when striking the coin.

What year was the last 100% copper penny?

With the exception of 2009 bicentennial cents minted specifically for collectors, United States cents minted after 1982 have been zinc with copper plating.

What year copper pennies are rare?

Because of its collector value, the 1943 copper cent has been counterfeited by coating steel cents with copper or by altering the dates of 1945, 1948, and 1949 pennies. The easiest way to determine if a 1943 cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet.

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.

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How much is a 1982-D large date copper penny worth?

1982 “D” Penny

If it's a 1982 “D” copper penny with a big date, it costs at least 0.80 USD. You'll pay around 0.30 USD for the 1982 “D” zinc penny with a big date. The 1982 “D” zinc penny with a small date and an MS of at least 60 costs around 0.20 USD. Remember, the price is low because these coins are common.

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.

What year are 95% copper pennies?

It is a well known fact that pennies minted from 1982 and back are made of 95% copper. These copper pennies are not rare at all.

Should I keep copper pennies?

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.

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.

Are any pennies 100% copper?

Pennies are made of zinc coated with copper. Only nickels are one solid material—that same 75% copper/25% nickel alloy.

Can I melt down pennies and sell the copper?

It is not illegal to melt, form, destroy, or otherwise modify US coins, including pennies, unless the objective is fraudulent or with the intent of selling the raw materials of the coins for profit. Projects that use coins as materials are entirely legal in the United States.

What are the top rarest pennies?

Why is a 1944 copper penny valuable?

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.

Why is the 1944 copper penny rare?

1944 wheat pennies were only made of copper and zinc from 1944 to 1946 due to a supply shortage of tin. Within the tin element in the composition of this metal, these coins were brass, not bronze.

How do I know if I have a 1943 copper wheat penny?

The easiest way to determine whether or not your 1943 Cent has collectible value—to see if it is possibly bronze rather than steel—is simply to test it with a magnet. If the coin is magnetic, then it is, unfortunately, the common steel version and is not valuable in most cases.

What years of pennies have the most copper?

If your Lincoln Memorial penny has a date before 1982, it is made of 95% copper. If the date is 1983 or later, it is made of 97.5% zinc and plated with a thin copper coating.

Should you clean rare pennies?

Generally, it is better to leave your antique metal currency alone than it is to try and erase all the grime and grit off of those coins. Cleaning or polishing rare coins devalues them. So, if you're planning on selling them, get an appraisal before attempting to clean your coins.

How much is a full copper penny worth?

$0.0251548 is the melt value for the 1909-1982 copper cent on December 20, 2022.

What pennies should I keep?

Are wheat pennies worth anything?

“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 is the most valuable wheat penny?

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.

What steel penny is worth a lot?

Most steel pennies are worth between 20 cents and 20 dollars. Prices for 1943 penny error coins, like the 1943-D doubled mintmark variety, can reach several hundred dollars. There are few vintage coins as widely collected as the 1943 steel Lincoln penny. This applies within and even beyond the numismatic realm.

Which steel penny is valuable?

Valuable Error Coins

The rarest 1943 steel penny is actually made of copper. This occurred in San Francisco (S), Denver (D), and Philadelphia (no mint mark), and resulted in the 1943 design and date being stamped on a copper coin.