Rare $1.5M Lincoln Wheat Penny – Find Out If You Own This Fortune!

The Lincoln Wheat Penny, produced from 1909 to 1958, is a classic in American currency and a collector’s favorite. The majority of these pennies are ordinary, but some rare ones have sold for unbelievable prices at auctions, with some selling for up to $1.5 million.

This piece takes a look at the details of these valuable pennies, walking you through how to recognize them and discussing other interesting Lincoln Wheat Pennies that may be hiding in your piggy bank.

The Legendary 1943 Copper Lincoln Wheat Penny

During World War II, the U.S. Mint changed from copper to zinc-coated steel to make pennies in order to save copper for the war effort. But a few pennies were accidentally minted on remaining copper planchets in 1943 to create the 1943 Copper Lincoln Wheat Penny, which is a rare piece.

Error coins like these are among the most sought after by collectors because they truly are rare and have historical value.

Some notable auction prices for the 1943 Copper Penny are:

$840,000: A 1943-D (Denver Mint) copper penny that graded MS64BN sold for this price in a 2021 auction.
$504,000: A 1943-S (San Francisco Mint) bronze penny sold for this amount, highlighting the coin’s incredible value.

Such numbers illustrate the possible value in finding such a penny.

Identifying a 1943 Copper Penny

To see whether you have a 1943 copper penny, follow these steps:

Check the date: See if the penny is dated as 1943.
Magnet Test: Copper is not magnetic. If the penny doesn’t stick to a magnet, it may be copper; if it does stick, it’s probably steel.
Weight Measurement: A copper penny weighs about 3.11 grams, while a steel penny weighs less, about 2.7 grams.
Professional Authentication: With the number of counterfeits out there, having the coin professionally authenticated by a well-known grading service, like PCGS or NGC, is important.

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Other Valuable Lincoln Wheat Pennies

A side from the 1943 copper penny, there are a number of other Lincoln Wheat Pennies that are very popular:

1909-S VDB Penny
- Mintage: 484,000.
- Notable Sale: Red 1909-S VDB Lincoln cents have sold for up to $168,000.
1955 Double Die Obverse Penny
- Error: Prominent doubling of the date and inscriptions on the obverse.
- Value: Depending on condition, these can sell for $1,000 to $15,000.
1944 Steel Penny
- Rarity: The majority of 1944 pennies were made in copper; there are a few steel ones because of leftover planchets.
- Auction Record: A steel 1944-S cent sold for $373,750.
1922: No D Penny
- Error: Omission of the ‘D’ mint mark because of a filled die error at the Denver Mint.
- Value: In high grades, these can be worth as much as $90,000.
1958 Double Die Obverse Penny
- Rarity: There are only a few known examples.
- Auction Record: One sold for $336,000.

Year	Mint Mark	Notable Feature	Estimated Value
1943	None, ‘D’, ‘S’	Struck on copper planchet	Up to $840,000
1909	‘S’ with ‘VDB’	Low mintage with designer’s initials	Up to $168,000
1955	None	Double die obverse error	Up to $15,000
1944	‘S’	Struck on steel planchet	Up to $373,750
1922	None	Missing ‘D’ mint mark	Up to $90,000
1958	None	Double die obverse error	Up to $336,000

The chance of a $1.5 million Lincoln Wheat Penny being in your piggy bank is unlikely but not out of the question. Coins such as the 1943 Copper Penny and others listed above have sold for a lot of money because they are rare and special.

Periodically checking over your pennies, keeping up with important dates and miscalculations, and obtaining professional verification can increase your likelihood of finding a valuable coin.