The most rare pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters
10 Highly Valuable Coins Worth Collecting
From
Coinsforsale.com
I’m sure you have seen quite a few coin list posts out there, and usually they consist of just the rarest pennies, or the rarest dimes, etc. Here though, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 most rare and valuable pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters all in one place.
Remember, when looking for rare and valuable coins, always be sure to keep an eye out for especially good looking specimens; these are the coins that will earn you big bucks. Uncirculated (meaning they show no signs of wear from being used) coins will always fetch a higher price than circulated coins.
The Most Rare Pennies (or Cents)
What Pennies Are Worth Money?
Interested in a PDF download on penny values? We have one here!
1. 1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent
Auction Record - $372,000 by Heritage Auctions
The 1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent, or Wheat penny is definitely one of the most sought after coins in the series. During this time, copper was needed to produce ammo for the War so the Mint switched to Steel planchets for the first--and last--time. It’s speculated that the reason this coin exists is because there were likely a few leftover planchets from the previous year that got mixed in with the new ones accidentally. But this mistake created a great rarity for us to look out for! This is one extremely valuable penny!
Watch out for counterfeits with this one, as it is a popular fake. You can use a magnet to quickly check if it might be real. If the magnet picks it up, it is likely copper-plated-steel and fake. If the magnet does not pick it up, you might have the genuine article and you should get it authenticated.
In 2010, the only known 1943 dated cent struck at the Denver Mint sold for a record breaking $1.7 million! The coin was sold by Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, New Jersey.
2. 1944 Steel Lincoln Cent
Auction Record - $180,000 By Heritage Auctions
The 1944 Steel Lincoln penny was another penny that was accidentally created, although this time it was during the transition back to bronze cents. There are two possibilities for why these rare pennies exist; the first is that steel blanks were left over from the previous year and accidentally mixed in, or steel blanks from foreign coinage that the Mint was producing got mixed up with them. It’s estimated that there are only about 25-30 of these coins in existence.
3. 1969-S Doubled Die Lincoln Cent
Auction Record - $126,500 By Heritage Auctions
The 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln penny is a very popular coin among collectors. This coin was popularly counterfeited and the Secret Service confiscated many counterfeits, unfortunately they also collected genuine coins and many were sadly destroyed. This is an extremely rare variety that if found, is worth getting certified with a third-party grading service like PCGS.
The Most Rare Nickels
What Nickels Are Worth Money?
Interested in a PDF download on nickel values? We have one here!
1. 1918/7 D Overdate Buffalo Nickel
Auction Record - $350,750 By Bowers & Merena
Leading on to the most rare nickels, we have the 1918 over 7 overdate Buffalo Nickel. This type of error happens when a new date is punched over the old date on a coin. This incredibly valuable coin was first discovered in 1930, and according to Numismatist David Hall, this coin is “recognized as one of the most important 20th Century numismatic rarities.”
2. 1926-S Buffalo Nickel
Auction Record - $322,000 By Bowers & Merena
With a mintage of only 970,000, this coin was going to be elusive from the start. The 1926-S Buffalo Nickel is THE key date in the series, and the rarest non-variety Buffalo Nickel. This is a valuable coin that serious collectors are willing to bid high on if the condition is good.
3. 1916 Doubled Die Obverse Buffalo Nickel
Auction Record - $281,750 By Bowers & Merena
The 1916 DDO Buffalo Nickel is another great rarity in the series. With only about 200 known, this coin is quite scarce. But it has gained popularity with collectors in recent years and is the most popular doubled die variety in the entire series. The doubling on this coin is very prominent, it’s mostly visible on the date, but also on the lips and chin and sometimes even the feathers at the back of his head.
The Most Rare Dimes
What Dimes Are Worth Money?
1. 1975 No S Roosevelt Dime Proof
Auction Record: $456,000 By Heritage Auctions
There are only two 1975 no S Proof Roosevelt Dimes known to exist. The first one was found in a 1975-S Proof Set in 1977, and the second dime was found seven years later. While it’s certainly possible to find another one of these coins (In a Proof set, not your change unfortunately), no others have yet surfaced since. This is one rare dime! Or I guess I should say two...
2. 1916-D Full Band Mercury Dime
Auction Record: $207,000 By Heritage Auctions
The Mercury dime! My personal favorite, and a popular coin among collectors. The 1916-D Full Band Mercury Dime is an incredibly rare coin, with an extremely low mintage of only 264,000 this was rare to begin with! Now the Full Bands designation on this coin means that the horizontal bands on the reverse that go around the central part of the fasces (the bundle of rods) are fully intact. For more information on what this means check out this link here
The Most Rare Quarters
What Quarters Are Worth Money?
1. 1796 Draped Bust Quarter
Auction Record: $1,527,000 By Heritage Auctions
The first U.S. quarter. This coin was minted for one year only, and is the only U.S. quarter to have been minted in the 18th century!
The finest known example of this coin is astounding. As if it had just come out of the Mint. Now it’s unlikely that you’ll find a coin of this quality, and you’ll likely not find this in your change either! But it is a beautiful coin worthy of the most avid coin collector’s collection.
2. 1827/3/2 Overdate Capped Bust Quarter Proof
Auction Record: $705,000 By Stacks & Bowers
The final coin on our list is the 1827/3/2 overdate Capped Bust Proof quarter, wow that’s a mouthful! This is one of the most famous rarities in the American quarter dollar series.
Here’s an excerpt from Stacks and Bowers on the overdate
“The overdate is crisp and easy to see, an artifact of this die being re-dated after its initial use for the entire mintage of 1823/2 quarters. In contrast to other overdates, produced by punching over only the final digit, all four digits have been re-punched with current punches, the 1, 8, and 2 being identical to those later used on the quarters of 1828.”
Wondering what your coin is worth? Check out our coin value guides below!
