Set Realistic Expectations
Nearly all coins you receive in change are worth face value. Still, the hobby has a long tradition of “searching,” and some coins really do turn up. The items below are the ones collectors most often check for. Value depends heavily on condition and authenticity, so treat any price you read online as a rough indicator rather than a quote.
Silver Coins
US dimes, quarters, and half dollars dated 1964 or earlier are 90 percent silver and are worth more than face value because of their metal content. Kennedy half dollars dated 1965 to 1970 are 40 percent silver. Silver content makes them worth keeping, even when they are common dates. Silver prices change, so check a current melt value calculator.
Wartime Nickels (1942 to 1945)
To save nickel for the war effort, the Mint changed the alloy of five-cent coins to include silver. These coins show a large mint mark above Monticello on the reverse, which is a quick way to identify them. See mint marks on coins for more on locating these letters.
Wheat Cents and Older Cents
Lincoln cents with wheat stalks on the reverse (1909 to 1958) are no longer common in change but are still found. Most are worth a small premium, but some dates are scarce. The 1909-S VDB and 1914-D are the famous ones, and are covered in key date US coins.
Error and Variety Coins
Some mistakes get through to circulation:
- Doubled dies: Examples include the 1955 and 1972 Lincoln cent doubled die obverse coins. See coin varieties for how to tell real doubling from ordinary machine doubling.
- 1943 copper cents: Most 1943 cents are steel, with a zinc coating and a silver-gray look. A genuine copper-colored one is extremely rare. A simple magnet test helps: a steel cent will stick, whereas a genuine copper one will not. Fakes are common, such as altered 1948 cents, so get any candidate authenticated.
- Off-center strikes, missing edge lettering, and wrong planchet errors: These are interesting, and some are valued by error collectors, but values vary widely.
What Year Is a Penny Worth $20,000?
There is no single year. Prices at that level typically involve rare errors or key dates in very high grades, such as certified 1943 copper cents or certain high-grade early cents. Most pennies, including most old ones, are worth much less. Be wary of listings that quote large asking prices, which are not the same as what coins actually sell for.
Modern Coins Worth a Look
- Presidential dollars with missing edge lettering, produced in 2007, are well known to error collectors.
- Sacagawea dollars: A small number of 2000-P dollars were struck on a special finish and are sometimes called “Cheerios” dollars. Authentication matters.
- State quarters with die varieties: The 2004 Wisconsin quarter with an “extra leaf” is one example. Most carry modest premiums.
Which $1 Coin Is Most Valuable?
Among modern dollars, certain error and special-finish coins command the most. For older US dollars, rare dates of Morgan and Peace dollars and extremely scarce pieces like the 1804 dollar are far above anything found in change. Our article on the rarest coins in the world covers the best-known examples.
What to Do If You Find Something
- Do not clean it.
- Examine it with a magnifier and compare with a trusted reference.
- Store it in a safe holder away from handling.
- For anything that could be worth hundreds of dollars or more, get an opinion from a reputable dealer or grading service.
New to searching? Start with coin collecting 101.