These 5 Pennies Are Worth Up to $115,000 -- Check Your Change
With the end of the United States penny old news at this point -- President Donald Trump's directive to stop minting the one-cent piece was executed in November 2025 -- it might be time to start rifling through your change jars or checking under your sofa for any rarer-than-usual examples to cash in on.
Some historical pennies in excellent condition can vastly outstrip their modest face value. Here is a look at three such pennies that may fetch tens of thousands on the collectors market.
1944-D Steel Cent
This cent should be fairly easy to identify, being that it is comprised of zinc-coated steel and thus is an entirely different color than the usual penny. While just seven examples of this one-cent piece are known to exist currently, that's not to say that there aren't undiscovered treasures out there.
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The record auction value for this coin comes from a 2007 Heritage Auctions sale, in which a MS63-graded (mint state) example sold for $115,000. Generally speaking, however, high-graded examples fetch between $30,000 to $80,000.
1992 Close AM (Philadelphia) Lincoln Cent
Something of a modern "sleeper" coin, whereas many numismatic coin collectors are focused on older varieties, the 1992 close AM Lincoln cent -- called "close AM" due to the proximity of the respective letters within "America" on the reverse -- can be worth more than a pretty penny in the right condition. (Note: The Philadelphia variant, with no mint mark, is considered rarer than its Denver equivalent.)
A high-grade example with much of its original red mint luster (MS67RED) sold at a 2017 Heritage Auctions event for $25,850. A more fair price range for other mint-condition examples ranges from $2,000 to $22,000, with circulated coins being worth far less -- but still enough for a bill payment.
1931-S Lincoln Wheat Cent
While wheat pennies are a dime a dozen, this one-cent piece struck by the San Francisco Mint is worth a small fortune in the right condition.
An August 2025 sale of this coin fetched a record $43,200. Of course, the coin in question was in exceptional condition -- both in preservation of its strike and in retention of its mint color -- graded at MS67RD. Circulated examples might fetch between $150 and $250, but standout coins can range in value from $8,000 and up.
Other pennies to keep an eye out for include the 1942-D Lincoln wheat cent (worth up to $12,650 in mint condition) and the 1972 doubled die obverse (which presents as "blurry" text surrounding the president on the face of the coin) Lincoln cent, worth up to $14,400.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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