5 Lincoln Wheat Pennies Worth Nearly $12 Million

Lincoln Wheat Pennies: The Lincoln Wheat Penny holds a special place in the world of American coins. These small copper coins, minted from 1909 to 1958, not only hold historical significance, but some of these extremely rare coins sell for millions of dollars today.

Can you imagine that just one small coin can make you a millionaire? If you have a jar of old coins lying around, there may be a coin in it that is worth millions of dollars! Today we will learn about the five rarest and most valuable Lincoln wheat pennies, whose total value is estimated to be around $12 million.

1943 Copper Wheat Penny – The Rarest and Most Valuable

Estimated Price: $1,000,000 – $1,750,000

During World War II, the U.S. Mint started using zinc-coated steel instead of copper in the manufacture of coins with the aim of saving copper for war materials. But by mistake, some 1942 copper coins were minted in 1943. That mistake makes this coin historic and valuable.

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Only 40 such coins are believed to exist in the world, and they have sold for as much as $1.7 million at auction. If you have a 1943 copper coin, do a magnet test to identify it—if the coin sticks to a magnet, it’s a real steel penny. But if it doesn’t and has a brownish-copper look, you may be on your way to becoming a millionaire!

1944 Steel Wheat Penny – Another Rare Mistake

Estimated Value: $75,000 – $125,000

In 1943, some copper coins were accidentally minted, and the following year, 1944, some steel coins were accidentally minted. In 1944, the Mint returned to using copper, but some leftover steel planchets (metal discs) were accidentally used.

Only 30 such coins have been found to date, and a 1944-S steel penny sold for $408,000 at auction in 2021. If you find this coin, do a magnet test to identify it—steel coins are always magnetic and will have a silvery color, while copper coins are dark gray.

1955 Double Die Obverse Wheat Penny – Priceless Due to a Printing Error

Estimated Value: $50,000 – $100,000

In 1955, the U.S. Mint accidentally issued coins that had a double die error. This caused the letters “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST” to appear as double images.

This coin has sold for as much as $114,000 at auction. It’s easy to identify—if you have a 1955 Wheat Penny, take a close look at the letters. If they show a slight doubling effect, you may have a very valuable coin!

1909-S VDB Wheat Penny – The First Lincoln Coin

Estimated Value: $50,000 – $100,000

When the Lincoln Wheat Penny was first issued in 1909, its designer, Victor David Brenner (VDB), inscribed his initials “VDB” on the back of the coin. But it was quickly removed due to controversy over its size. This makes the 1909-S VDB coin extremely rare.

Only 484,000 of these coins were made, and one high-quality coin has sold for $117,500. If you have a 1909 Wheat Penny, look for the letters “VDB” on the back of the coin to identify it and look for the “S” mint mark below the date.

1914-D Wheat Penny – Rare Coin With No Mistake

Estimated Price: $50,000 – $100,000

The 1914-D Wheat Penny is rare not because of a mistake but because of the small number of coins it was issued. It was minted by the Denver Mint and only 1.1 million coins were made. Since most of these coins were struck, it is difficult to find coins in good condition.

In 2018, a 1914-D coin with an MS66+ grading sold for $158,625 at auction. If you have a 1914 Wheat penny, look for the “D” mint mark below the date, but beware of counterfeits—some people stamp a fake “D” onto common 1914 coins.

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Do you have a hidden treasure?

These five Lincoln Wheat pennies prove that sometimes the most valuable things are found in the most common of places. Antique coin jars, markets, and grandparents’ heirlooms may contain a coin that could be worth millions of dollars.

Even if you don’t find one of these rare coins, every Lincoln Wheat penny is a historical treasure in its own right. So the next time you see an old coin, take a close look at it—you may be holding a priceless piece of history in your hands!