Key dates for the copper wheat penny
Some Lincoln wheat cents are more rare and thus worth more than other common Lincoln wheat pennies. If you come across one of these coins and you are thinking about purchasing it, make sure you have a professional coin dealer or a grading service come in to make sure it is authentic. These valuable wheat pennies are often subjects for counterfeits.
1909-S, 1909-S V.D.B ( Look for the designer initials on the reverse side)
1914-D, 1931-S
1922-D with no mint mark
1943 copper wheat penny
These four dates are particularly valuable and are perfect if you are a beginner seeking to collect coins.
What’s a 1943 Wheat Penny?
One of the most sought out coins in the wheat penny world is the 1943 wheat penny.You may be wondering how valuable or how much your 1943 penny is worth. The answer is complicated and depends on a number of factors.
Well, it really does depends on the appearance and condition of your 1943 wheat penny. If your penny is silver in color this indicates it’s made from steel, which means it’s worth a bit less.
However, if your 1943 penny is made from copper it’s worth tens and thousands of dollars.
Why is the copper 1943 wheat penny worth more than the steal 1943 wheat penny?
Well, it’s simple.
The 1943 copper wheat penny was a mistake. The wrong metal was added to the mint and the US government had to stop production of the copper because it was needed to manufacture weapons during the World World II era.
However, a mistake was made and a few coins left the mint. Actually, very few coins left the mint and only a few authentic 1943 copper wheat pennies exist today.
This means there are plenty of counterfeit copper wheat pennies going around today. So, if you are thinking about buying one you should also have it authenticated by a professional before your purchase.
How much is a single 1943 copper wheat penny worth?
A 1943 copper wheat penny is pretty rare. To give you an idea just how rare a 1943 copper wheat penny is, one was just recently sold for 1 million dollars. Yes, one was just sold for 1 million dollars to Bill Simpson, a co-owner of the Texas Rangers.
Yet another 1943 wheat coin has sold for $82,500. However, this was back in 1997, and as you can imagine copper wheat pennies worth goes up each year.
How many 1943 wheat copper pennies exist?
It’s estimated that only seventeen 1943 wheat copper pennies were made. It’s speculated that one penny was produced in Denver, four in San Francisco, and the others elsewhere.
Considering how few were made and how much they are going for, you should be careful when purchasing a 1943 wheat copper penny. Most are fake, so make sure you have it authenticated by someone reputable.