5 Rare Copper Coins That Could Be Worth Up To $30,000 Each

You could be sitting on a lot of money if you have old pennies in jars, boxes, or a coin collection. Many copper pennies are worth only what they are worth, but some are rare and expensive because of mistakes made when they were minted, their historical value, or the fact that there are very few in circulation. A few copper coins have even been sold at auction for $30,000 or more.

This blog post talks about five very rare copper coins that coin fans are always looking for. These include the well-known 1943 Bronze Wheat Penny and the hard-to-find 1982-D Copper Small Date. These coins are valuable, but they also have interesting stories about how they were made in the past. This list could help you find a secret gem in your change, no matter how experienced you are with collecting coins. Find out what kinds of rare copper coins you should look for and how to tell them apart by reading on.

1943 Wheat Penny (Bronze Cent Strike)

One of the most well-known and important mistakes in U.S. history is the 1943 Wheat Penny with a Bronze Cent Strike. Copper was in high demand for combat gear during World War II. Because of this, the U.S. Mint switched from using bronze (a mix of copper and tin) to zinc-coated steel to make pennies in 1943. But by chance, some bronze planchets (metal blanks) from 1942 stayed in the minting presses and were struck with the image from 1943. No one knew that these rare mistake coins were put into circulation until they were already in use.

A magnet will stick to most 1943 pennies that are made of steel, but not the bronze ones. Collectors often use this easy magnetic test as the first step to see if a 1943 metal cent is real. There are not many of these coins—less than 20 are known to exist. Some have sold at auction for more than $100,000, but even ones that aren’t in perfect shape can get $10,000 to $30,000 or more. Collectors from all over the world want them because they are so rare and have an interesting story about how they were made by mistake.

1982-D Lincoln Penny (Copper Small Date)

Money fans are interested in the 1982-D Lincoln Penny with a copper small date. It is a rare transitional mistake that has caught their eye. Because metal prices were going up, the U.S. Mint changed pennies from being 95% copper to being iron with a copper coating in 1982. Because of this, there are both copper and zinc forms of coins from 1982. There were also two kinds of dates that year: “Small Date” and “Large Date.” A lot of different coins with different designs were made in 1982, but the Denver Mint (D) was only meant to make copper coins with the Small Date design. One copper penny with the D mintmark and the Small Date, on the other hand, has been proven to be real.

This rare coin is important because it was made wrong during a changeover year and shouldn’t exist. So far, only one real case has been proven, which means it’s pretty much unique. Since it was found, a lot of fans have been going through their old pennies and change. Based on how good it is, if another one is found, it might be worth $10,000 to $30,000. This coin is a real collector’s dream because it has a rare makeup, a date size that no one expected, and the Denver Mint mark.

1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny

For Lincoln cent fans, the 1909-S VDB is one of the most famous and expensive coins. The Indian Head penny was replaced by the first Lincoln cent by the U.S. Mint in 1909. Victor David Brenner, who designed the coin, put his letters “V.D.B.” in a big way on the back of it. The Mint quickly took them off because some people thought the letters were too big. The first version with “V.D.B.” was a limited edition because this change was made very early in the production process. Also, the San Francisco Mint (S) only made 484,000 of these coins, which makes them one of the rarest Lincoln cents ever made.

People still want the 1909-S VDB penny a lot because it is so rare and has a lot of historical value. Even ones that have been used a lot can be worth more than $1,000. Coins that are in great shape, especially ones that have never been used, can sell for $10,000 to $30,000 or more. People who collect coins love this one because it is very rare and because it is the first coin in the Lincoln cent line, which is still being made today. If you want to build a full collection of Lincoln pennies, you have to have this one.

1872 Indian Head Penny

The Indian Head Penny from 1872 is another rare copper coin that can sell for a lot of money if it is in great shape. This coin was made after the Civil War, and only about 4 million were made. Unfortunately, many of them are not in good shape. Collectors like the Indian Head series, which was made from 1859 to 1909. The 1872 release is thought to be one of the hardest to find in good condition. These coins are made of 95% copper, but they often have damage from being stored incorrectly over the years.

It is hard to find an 1872 Indian Head cent in Very Fine (VF) form, and it is even harder to find higher-grade versions. This is why fans are willing to pay more for models that are in good condition. These coins can sell for anywhere from a few hundred dollars to three thousand dollars in circulated grades. At auction, mint-state examples can easily fetch tens of thousands of dollars. It’s more valuable because of its historical value and the fact that good grades are hard to come by. People who are really into coins love the 1872 release because it is one of the hardest Indian Head cents to find in perfect shape.

1969-S Lincoln Penny—Doubled Die Obverse

One of the most well-known and expensive mistake coins from the 20th century is the 1969-S Lincoln Penny with a Doubled Die Obverse. When the die used to make the coin isn’t lined up right, it makes some parts of the design—usually the date, motto, or other details—look like they are twice as big. This is called a “doubled die.” This particular 1969-S penny has clear and strong doubling on the date and the words “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST” on the front (obverse) of the coin. This is not a small mistake; it’s a big mistake that can be seen without a magnifying glass.

This type was made by the San Francisco Mint (shown by the “S” mintmark), and very few real examples have been found. It’s important to remember that there are a lot of fakes out there, so professional identification is necessary. High-quality specimens that have been checked out have sold for huge amounts of money, including over $30,000 at auction. Even examples that aren’t very good can fetch several thousand dollars. People who collect coins and people who know a lot about coins both really like the 1969-S doubled die because it has a big mistake on it and there aren’t many of them. It’s one of the rarest current Lincoln cents you can find.

Bottom Line

Copper coins that are very hard to find, like the Bronze Cent from 1943, the VDB from 1909, and the Doubled Die from 1969, show that even a simple penny can be worth big money. Because of a mistake in the minting process, the small number of coins made, or their historical value, fans really want these coins. If you think you have one, you might want to weigh it, check the date, and talk to an expert rating service. If you pay close attention and are lucky, your old penny could lead you to something that will change your life. Don’t think too little of what’s in your coin jar; wealth could be right there.

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