12 Rare Pennies Worth Checking Your Change For

Most pennies are worth exactly one cent. A few are worth hundreds, thousands, or even six figures, and some of them are still sitting in coin jars, cash drawers, and the change you got at the gas station.

Now is a good time to look. The U.S. Mint stopped making pennies for circulation in late 2025, so the coins already out there are all there will ever be. As banks pull them in and people cash out their jars, a lot of interesting pennies are passing through hands one last time.

Here are 12 pennies worth checking for, roughly in order from most to least valuable, with how to spot each one. All values are approximate and depend heavily on condition.

What you need before you start

You don't need much. A 5x or 10x magnifier, a bright desk lamp, and a kitchen scale that reads to a tenth of a gram will cover everything on this list. A magnet helps for two of the wartime coins.

Most of these coins are varieties, meaning the error happened on the die that struck them, so every coin from that die shares the same feature. That's good news for you, because it means there are enough of them out there to actually find.

1. 1943 copper penny

In 1943 the Mint made cents from zinc-coated steel to save copper for the war. A few leftover bronze blanks got struck anyway, and only a small number of these copper 1943 cents are known. Genuine examples sell for $100,000 or more.

How to check: A steel 1943 cent sticks to a magnet. A copper one does not. Be careful, because fakes are common. Many are copper-plated steel, which still sticks to a magnet, or 1948 cents with the 8 altered to look like a 3.

2. 1944 steel penny

This is the same mistake in reverse. When the Mint switched back to copper in 1944, a few leftover steel blanks were struck with the new date. These are also extremely rare and sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

How to check: A 1944 cent that is gray and sticks to a magnet deserves a closer look by an expert.

3. 1969-S doubled die obverse

This is one of the rarest modern pennies. CoinWeek reports that only about 100 entered circulation before the Mint caught the error. Worn examples sell for $10,000 or more, uncirculated ones bring $35,000 to $50,000 and up, and the record is $126,500.

How to check: Look for strong doubling on the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST that you can see without a magnifier. The S mint mark is not doubled. Counterfeits of this coin have existed since 1969, so any real one should be authenticated.

4. 1955 doubled die obverse

The most famous error penny ever made, and the coin that got a generation of Americans checking their change. The doubling is so strong it looks like a blurry photo. Worn examples usually sell for $1,000 to $2,000, and a top uncirculated example sold for about $124,000.

How to check: It's a wheat penny dated 1955 with no mint mark. The doubling shows clearly on the date and every letter on the front.

5. 1992 Close AM

In 1992 a handful of cents were struck with a reverse design meant for 1993. On these coins, the letters A and M in AMERICA nearly touch. According to GOBankingRates, only about a dozen 1992-D examples are known, an MS-62 sold for $2,640, and a top MS-67 Red brought more than $25,000.

How to check: On the back, look at the bottom of the A and M in AMERICA. On a normal 1992 cent there's a clear gap between them. On a Close AM, they almost touch. Check both no-mint-mark and D coins.

6. 1972 doubled die obverse

This is the most findable major doubled die. The doubling is strong on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date. Worn examples generally sell for $100 to $300, and uncirculated coins bring more.

How to check: Look for clear, separated doubling on the letters, not just a fuzzy outline. Several minor 1972 doubled dies exist that are worth much less, so compare yours to photos of the major variety.

7. 1999 Wide AM

The opposite of the 1992 error. In 1999 some regular cents were struck with the proof reverse, which has wider spacing between A and M. This is the scarcest of the Wide AM years, with circulated examples often bringing $50 to $200 and uncirculated ones $200 to $500 or more.

How to check: On the back, the A and M in AMERICA have a clear, wide gap between them. On a normal 1999 cent they almost touch.

8. 1983 doubled die reverse

The doubling on this one is on the back. Look at E PLURIBUS UNUM, ONE CENT, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Uncirculated examples usually sell for $100 to $400, with worn ones bringing less.

How to check: The doubling is easiest to see on the word ONE and on the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM.

9. 1984 doubled ear

This one is fun to spot. Lincoln has a clear second earlobe just below his ear. Values usually run from about $20 for a worn coin to $100 or more for an uncirculated one.

How to check: Look closely at Lincoln's ear on the front. On the variety, there's a distinct extra earlobe below the normal one.

10. 1970-S Small Date

The 1970-S came in two date styles, and the Small Date is the scarcer one. Worn examples bring roughly $20 to $50, and uncirculated coins can bring $50 to $200 or more.

How to check: Look at the 7 in the date. On the Small Date, the top of the 7 sits level with the other numbers. On the more common Large Date, the 7 drops lower. The word LIBERTY is also weaker on the Small Date.

11. 1998 and 2000 Wide AM

These are the same type of variety as the 1999 coin but easier to find. A 1998 Wide AM usually brings $10 to $25 in circulated condition and more uncirculated. The 2000 Wide AM is the most common of the three and carries a smaller premium.

How to check: Use the same AM spacing test as above. These turn up in rolls more often than you'd expect.

12. 1995 doubled die obverse

A great starter variety and a good one to train your eye on. The doubling is clearest on LIBERTY, especially the B and E, and on IN GOD WE TRUST. Worn examples sell for about $10 to $30, and nice red uncirculated coins bring more.

How to check: Use a magnifier on LIBERTY. The letters will show a clear second outline.

Quick reference

Penny	Where to look	Rough value range
1943 copper	Doesn't stick to a magnet	$100,000+
1944 steel	Sticks to a magnet	Tens of thousands
1969-S DDO	Doubled date and lettering	$10,000 to $50,000+
1955 DDO	Heavy doubling on front	$1,000 to $2,000+ worn
1992 Close AM	A and M nearly touch	Hundreds to $25,000
1972 DDO	Doubled LIBERTY and date	$100 to $300+
1999 Wide AM	Wide gap between A and M	$50 to $500
1983 DDR	Doubled ONE CENT	$100 to $400 uncirculated
1984 Doubled Ear	Second earlobe	$20 to $100+
1970-S Small Date	Level 7 in date	$20 to $200
1998, 2000 Wide AM	Wide gap between A and M	$5 to $25+
1995 DDO	Doubled LIBERTY	$10 to $30+

What about copper versus zinc?

You'll often hear that 1982 pennies are valuable. Most aren't. In 1982 the Mint switched from 95% copper to copper-plated zinc, so you'll find both kinds that year. A copper cent weighs about 3.1 grams, and a zinc one weighs about 2.5 grams. Pre-1983 copper cents are worth a bit more than a cent for their metal, but they're not rare.

Watch out for these common mix-ups

A few things fool new collectors constantly:

• Machine doubling. This flat, shelf-like doubling happens when a die bounces during striking. It's very common and adds no value. True doubled dies have rounded, separated second images.
• Plated or altered coins. Pennies that have been plated, painted, or chemically treated to look like errors are everywhere online.
• Damage. A coin that was crushed, scraped, or burned can look strange but is not an error.

If you're not sure, compare your coin with photos in the PCGS CoinFacts database or the NGC price guide, which both list the major varieties.

What to do if you find one

First, don't clean it. Cleaning can cut the value in half or worse. Put the coin in a soft holder or a paper envelope and handle it only by the edges.

Next, check what similar coins have actually sold for. Asking prices on auction sites are often wildly inflated, so look at completed sales. Coinsel tracks recent sold prices for pennies like these, which gives you a realistic number before you talk to a dealer.

Finally, if the coin looks like it could be worth a few hundred dollars or more, have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC. For the big ones like the 1943 copper or the 1969-S doubled die, certification is the only way a buyer will take it seriously.

Start with the coins you already have

You don't need to buy anything to get started. Grab a jar of pennies, a magnifier, and a free evening. Sort by date first, then check each target year on this list. If you find wheat pennies along the way, my Wheat Penny Value Guide covers the older key dates.

Found something you think might be on this list? Leave a comment with the date, mint mark, and what you're seeing, and I'll help you figure out if it's the real thing.