4 Rare Coins From the ’80s That Only Coin Collectors Know About
Written by
Andrew Lisa
Edited by
Kristen Mae
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Movies like “Wall Street” made the 1980s synonymous with money — but coins are often left out of currency conversations about the decade of decadence.
Even so, the ’80s produced a quartet of coins that are rare, coveted and potentially quite valuable. Keep an eye out in your couch cushions and coin jar for any of these four coins from the 1980s, as they could turn a penny, quarter or dollar into hundreds — or even thousands — of dollars in cold, hard cash.
1980 Wide Rim Susan B. Anthony Dollars
According to CoinWeek, the U.S. Mint released the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin with extraordinary fanfare in 1979, but the public’s ice-cold reception never lived up to the hype. Demand was so poor that the coin was discontinued after 1981, though it saw a limited revival in 1999. It remains one of the most notorious misfires in the history of U.S. coinage.
Most Susan B. Anthony dollars are worth next to nothing, even in pristine condition. However, some 1980 examples were struck with an error that widened the rim and crowded the date — and they are coveted collectors’ items.
One 1980 Wide Rim dollar selling on eBay for $600. Another is going for $575. Others are selling for $1,000 or more.
1984 Error Quarters
In 1984, the Philadelphia Mint struck 676,545,000 George Washington quarters, while the Denver Mint produced 546,483,064, according to Coin Value Checker. Most won’t get you more than their $0.25 face value, but some were double-struck or overstruck — and those error coins can be worth much more.
Platforms like Ruby Lane, Mercari, Etsy and eBay list 1984 error quarters for $150, $200, $250 and even $2,000 or more, based on the rarity and the severity of the error.
1986 Full Red Pennies
According to Coin Value Checker, fewer than 100 full red pennies — which get their color from their higher copper content — were minted in 1986, making them extremely rare and particularly desirable among collectors.
Most high-quality examples sell for about $175, but according to the Professional Coin Grading Service, the record sale price goes to one particularly pristine example that fetched $2,400 on eBay in 2019.
1986 S Proof Pennies
Coin Value Checker also notes the potential value of 1986-S proof pennies, which were specially struck for collectors with a sharper, more detailed design and a mirror-like finish. The San Francisco Mint struck 3,792,233 that year, making common examples plentiful. However, the handful of known gem-quality examples typically command around $185 dollars.
PCGS reports that one 1986-S proof Lincoln penny went for $3,450 in 2003 — a record that still stands more than 20 years later.
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