Buy Rare Pennies Online
Dive into the fascinating world of penny collecting with our extensive selection of pennies for sale. From the earliest days of the American Mint to modern commemoratives, our collection offers a wide array of these beloved coins, each with its own story to tell. Whether you're a seasoned numismatist or a new enthusiast, you'll find something to cherish in our diverse offerings. Add rare pennies to your collection today!
A Rich History Captured in Copper
The penny, officially known as the United States one-cent coin, has a rich history that mirrors the evolution of the nation itself. Starting with the Flowing Hair Chain cent of 1793, to the classic Lincoln Wheat penny introduced in 1909, and the contemporary Lincoln Shield cent, the penny has undergone numerous transformations. Each design change reflects shifts in American culture, technology, and economics, making pennies not just currency, but historical artifacts.
Valuable Pennies - Rare Pennies For Sale
Our collection includes rare finds that are the jewels of penny collecting:
- The 1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat Penny: Highly sought after by collectors due to its low mintage and the presence of designer Victor David Brenner's initials.
- Indian Head Pennies: Offering a glimpse into the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these coins are prized for their beauty and historical significance.
Rare Pennies Worth Money - Lincoln Cents For Sale
Among our collection, you'll find some of the most valuable pennies ever minted, such as the 1943 copper Lincoln penny and the 1793 Liberty Cap cent. These exceptional pieces can command high prices, reflecting their rarity, condition, and historical importance.
Rare pennies from the United States Mint have captivated collectors for generations, not only for their historical significance but also for their investment potential. Here's a list of some of the most sought-after rare pennies, along with their estimated value ranges and mintages. It's important to note that the values can fluctuate based on the coin's condition, market demand, and other factors.
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1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat Penny
- Mintage: 484,000
- Value Range: $700 to over $2,000 for circulated conditions; significantly higher for uncirculated conditions, with top grades reaching into the tens of thousands.
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1914-D Lincoln Wheat Penny
- Mintage: 1,193,000
- Value Range: $200 to $1,000+ in lower grades; uncirculated examples can command $5,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on the grade.
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1922 No D (Plain) Lincoln Wheat Penny
- Mintage: Unknown due to it being a die error, not a separate mintage. All 1922 pennies were supposed to be minted at the Denver Mint.
- Value Range: $500 to $2,500 in lower grades; higher grades can exceed $20,000.
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1931-S Lincoln Wheat Penny
- Mintage: 866,000
- Value Range: $100 to $300 for lower grades; uncirculated examples can reach $500 to $1,000+.
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1943 Bronze Lincoln Wheat Penny
- Mintage: Approximately 20 (mistakenly struck in bronze instead of zinc-coated steel)
- Value Range: $100,000 to $200,000+ for circulated; uncirculated examples, if available, can fetch over $1 million.
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1955 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Wheat Penny
- Mintage: Unknown (part of the general mintage, but a specific number for the error is not known)
- Value Range: $1,000 to $1,500+ in lower grades; uncirculated examples can exceed $15,000.
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1877 Indian Head Penny
- Mintage: 852,500
- Value Range: $850 to $3,000+ in lower grades; uncirculated examples can reach $4,000 to $8,000 or more.
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1909-S Indian Head Penny
- Mintage: 309,000
- Value Range: $600 to $1,200 in lower grades; uncirculated examples can command $2,000 to $4,000+.
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1793 Chain Cent
- Mintage: 36,103
- Value Range: $5,000 to $10,000+ for lower grades; high-grade examples can exceed $100,000, with the finest known specimens reaching into the millions.
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1793 Wreath Cent
- Mintage: Approximately 63,000
- Value Range: $2,000 to $5,000+ for lower grades; higher grades can command $10,000 to $30,000 or more, with exceptional specimens fetching significantly higher prices.
These values are indicative and can vary significantly based on the coin's condition, provenance, and the current market dynamics.
Specifications and Varieties
Our pennies span various specifications and materials, from copper and bronze to zinc-coated steel. Each coin's design, weight, and composition tell a story of its time, offering a tangible connection to different eras of American history.
Yearly Sales and Demand
The demand for rare and historical pennies remains strong, with collectors eager to find unique pieces to complete their collections. Our selection is constantly updated to include coins that appeal to both novice collectors and seasoned numismatists, ensuring there's always something new to discover.
Certified Quality
For peace of mind and assurance of authenticity, many of our pennies come certified by leading grading services like PCGS and NGC. These certifications confirm the coin's grade, condition, and authenticity, adding to its value and collectibility.
Explore our collection of pennies for sale today and embark on a journey through American history. Whether you're looking for a specific date, a rare mint mark, or simply wish to hold a piece of the past in your hand, our selection offers the perfect starting point for your collecting adventure.
Large Cent
Large cents are highly sought after by collectors, and the first coins minted in 1793 are the most valuable. These coins were produced annually until 1857. In 1808, the large cent's design changed to a more classic look that was minted until 1857. However, there was no 1815 large cent as America declared war against the UK, affecting coin production.
Classic large cents feature the head of Liberty with a hairband and the word ‘Liberty.’ In earlier versions of the coin, she had flowing hair. On later coins, her hair is tied back, and fifty stars have been added around the coin's circumference to represent the states of America.
Large cents were produced in significant quantities by the Philadelphia mint using 100% copper. During the war, people began to hoard precious metals, and the price of copper rose steeply in the following years. By 1857 the price of copper was too high, and the coin was no longer minted. After the war, many people sold their large cents, and they were melted down to use for other industries. This has made the large cents a valuable collector coin due to its rarity.
Flying Eagle Cent
The Flying Eagle Cent was the first of the small American cents. It was minted for just two years between 1956 and 1958, one of the shortest time frames in history for coin production. James B. Longacre designed this coin, and 40 million coins were minted, a relatively low number.
The coin features a flying eagle on one side, which was based on a drawing by Christian Gobrecht, an engraver who proceeded Longacre. The rear of the coin has a wreath of flowers with the words ‘one cent’ in the middle.
The flying eagle cent measures just 19 mm and weighs 4.67 grams. It was popular at the time due to it’s smaller size and continues to be collectible to this day.
Indian Head Penny
The Indian Head Penny was designed by James Barton Longacre and minted by the Philadelphia and San Francisco mints. It was produced between 1859 and 1909 and became one of the most iconic coins in American history. The coin features an Indian head on one side and a wreath with ‘one cent’ in the middle on the other.
Between 1859 and 1864, the Indian Head cent was a copper-nickel coin. It measures 19mm and weighed 4.67 grams. During the Civil war, it was reclaimed as the metal was needed for the war effort. This has made the early version of the Indian Head Penny very rare as many disappeared from circulation. From 1865 until 1909, the coins were struck from copper and zinc. They measured 19mm and weighed slightly less than the original coins at 3.11 grams.
Wheat Penny or Lincoln Cent
Another iconic coin, the Wheat Penny, also known as the Lincoln cent, was designed in 1909 by a New York sculpture named Victor David Brenner. Early wheat pennies were produced using a mixture of copper, tin, and zinc and included the designer’s initials, V.D.B.
In 1943 the coins were struck from 100% steel and plated with zinc as copper was needed for the war effort. In subsequent years the coins were again made from copper and zinc and measured 19mm in diameter. The coins weigh either 2.07 or 3.11 grams depending on the type of metal used in their production.
The wheat penny is America's longest-running coin series. These cents got their name due to the two stylized wheat stalks on the reverse. They were also given the name ‘wheaties.’ The obverse features the head of Lincoln.
Wheat pennies are highly collectible, with the earlier versions being worth the most. Coin collectors and dealers worldwide a willing to pay a high price for wheat pennies. An uncirculated 1909 VDB version of the coin was recently valued at $12,000.
Lincoln cent
The Lincoln cent is still in circulation today and has seen many changes since 1959 when the sheaves of wheat were removed from the reverse side. Between 1959 and 2008, the coin featured an image of the Lincoln memorial. Frank Gasparro designed this coin.
In 2009 a series of four coins were commissioned to mark Lincolns bicentennial. These depicted images from Lincoln's life and included his childhood log cabin, his formative years in Indiana, his professional life in Illinois, and his presidency in DC. In 2010 a new coin was designed with an image of a shield; this is still used today.
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