If you like Abraham Lincoln and want to collect pennies with him on them, read on. Lincoln cents are very popular and have been made in large numbers since 1909, when they were first made to honor the president’s 100th birthday.
The shape of the coin has changed many times over the years. From 1959 to 2008, the Lincoln Memorial penny had a new design on the back that showed the famous Lincoln Memorial.
A regular Lincoln Memorial Penny is worth about what it says on the coin when it is used. Even so, these coins are still valuable when they are brand new, as they can fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
If you don’t know what to look for, it can be hard to find a valuable Lincoln Memorial Penny. This guide makes it easy to do that by getting you Lincoln Memorial Pennies that are worth money.
1. 1983-D Bronze Lincoln Penny – $1,400
In 1983, the US Mint switched from making copper pennies to making zinc core pennies because copper was getting harder to find and the prices were pretty high.
Since the last 95% copper pennies were made in 1982, collectors were very interested in the new 95% zinc pennies with copper covering that came out in 1983. They bought a lot of these pennies to keep for themselves.
This bronze coin from 1983-D is one of the most valuable Lincoln Memorial pennies because it is a change piece. It’s hard to find in mint condition and has an interesting past. Coins with an MS67 or higher are especially hard to find.
Getting a red 1983-D bronze Lincoln monument penny that is mint will cost you at least $1,400.
2. 1969- Doubled Die Lincoln Penny – $126,500
It is very rare to find a 1969 Lincoln Memorial penny with a doubled die mistake. One was found in the 1990s, almost 30 years after the coins were first made.
This penny has a very clear doubling that can be seen with the naked eye. This makes it even more desired. This, along with the fact that the coin is notoriously hard to find, shows how valuable the 1969-doubled die Lincoln penny can be. Around LIBERTY and the country’s slogan, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” there is a lot of doubling.
There are known to be several dozen of these pennies. As of late, a few mint-condition examples have been found, which means that a few more 1969 doubled die mistake pennies are still out there to be found.
In 2005, a very rare one that was graded MS64 sold for $126,500. You can see that this Lincoln penny is very precious. Just make sure you look for coins that you can see. These will give you the most money.
3. 1981-S Type II Proof Lincoln Penny – $900 and $1,200
Number fans call the two kinds of Lincoln memory pennies that the Mint made in 1970 “Type 1” and “Type II.” The form of the S mint mark is what makes them different. Type I coins have a S that is less clear, while Type II coins have one that is more clear.
The Type 1 Lincoln memory coin is the most common type from 1979 and 1980. But the Mint changed the S mintmark drills so that the S was easier to see and had clear serifs.
About 1 in 10 Lincoln Memorial proof pennies were made with punches that had Type 2 mint marks on them. These pennies are more expensive and sought after because they are harder to find than Type II pennies.
Found examples of the 1981-S type II proof Lincoln memorial pennies are worth PF68 or more and range in value from $900 to $1,200.
4. 1983 Doubled Die Reverse Penny – $7,050
Not all doubled die reverse mistakes are the same. The coin is worth more when it can be seen that it has been doubled.
Lincoln cents often have mistakes where the dies are turned over twice, so look for ones that have strong doubling that you can see with the naked eye.
Some people think that the 1983 doubled die reverse penny has the best doubling of any Lincoln penny ever made.
Around the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM and the words ONE CENT and UNITED, it’s easy to see that there are two of them.
It’s hard to find examples in better mint state grades, which makes them even more valuable. A doubled die reverse penny from 1983 that was marked MS68 sold at auction for a huge $7,050.
5. 1979-S Type II Proof Penny – $4000
There will still be two kinds of Lincoln proof pennies in 1979: Type I and Type II. The mint mark on Type II coins is easier to see and read than on Type I coins, whose S is rounder.
That year, most of the proofs that were made were Type I. A few months later, Type II copies were made. There were not as many type II Lincoln cents as there were type I cents. This made buyers interested in the coins, which raised their value over time.
A 1979-S Type II Lincoln Memorial test penny has been sold at auction for $4000.