9 Rare American Coins That Are Worth a Lot of Money
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Rare and valuable American coins come in numerous denominations, designs and metal compositions, and they can sell for anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to a few million. Although the priciest coins are either owned by dealers or collectors, you can still find rare coins lying around that can give your bank account a nice shot in the arm.
A coin might be rare for a few different reasons. Some had limited production/circulation and are therefore in short supply, while others either have historical value or errors that make them unique. If you’re looking for one of the latter, here are some of the most common errors, according to NBC Connecticut:
- Doubled die: This is a coin with a duplication of design elements due to a misalignment of the die that engraves designs.
- Missing mint markings: The mint mark is a letter that identifies where a coin was made, such as “P” for Philadelphia. If the mint mark is missing, it means the coin is rare and can fetch a lot of money on the collector’s market.
- Planchet errors: Planchets are the round, blank pieces of metal used to make coins. Planchet errors mean they might have the wrong shape, wrong thickness and have no engraving at all
- Strike errors: In coinage, the term “strike” refers tothe step in the minting process when the design is pressed onto the coin. Strike errors include misaligned designs or designs being struck on the wrong coin.
A coin’s condition will play a big part in its value to collectors, with those in mint state commanding the highest prices. Most of the values below reflect averages, though a couple reflect top prices paid. Here’s are nine American coins that are worth a lot of money.
1969-D Kennedy Half Dollar: $2,640+
Versions of this coin in pristine, uncirculated condition can sell for as much as $6,000.
1916 Standing Liberty Quarter: $2,800+
The Standing Liberty quarter remains “among the most collectible old coins ever made” by the U.S. Mint, according to Gainesville Coins. The coin’s design made its debut in 1916 but was altered shortly thereafter, making the 1916 version a hit with collectors.
1926-D Lincoln Penny: $3,290+
The 1926-D Wheat Penny value ranges from about $900 for Mint State brown varieties to $22,000 for Mint State red varieties.
1914-D Lincoln Penny: $4,400+
You can find these pennies selling for hundreds to thousands of dollars on eBay, but one of the pricier coins in mint condition sold for $159,000.
1925-D Lincoln Penny: $21,600+
Brown varieties of this coin are often more affordable than red varieties. Values of all varieties can range from $2,000 to $75,000.
1969-S Lincoln Cent Doubled Die: $25,000
A small portion of the 1969-S penny mintage from San Francisco showed the doubled die error, pushing up its value.
1947 Washington Quarter: $32,400
A Washington Quarter from 1947 in circulated condition is worth between $4.65 and $7.25. However, those in pristine, uncirculated condition typically sell for $10,000 or more.
1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny: $2.3 million
Designed by Victor D. Brenner, this is one of the rarest and priciest pennies in circulation today. During World War II, pennies were made of steel to save copper for the war effort. However, a few were mistakenly made of bronze, and these are extremely rare and valuable. Made of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc alloy, it sold for $1.7 million in 2010 but is valued at $2.3 million in mint uncirculated condition.
1913 Liberty Head Nickel: $4.2 million
With only five in existence, you can become an instant millionaire if you find one of these coins in your drawer. It is sometimes called the “Walton Nickel” and remains one of the rarest U.S. coins.
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