Is It Worth Money?

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    Penny decoder

    Type the year and the small letter under it. You get the metal, the design and the rare varieties known for that year. Most pennies are worth one cent; this tells you in seconds if yours deserves a closer look.

    What pennies are made of

    1943 steel1909-1942: Mostly copper (bronze or brass)1943-1943: Zinc-coated steel1944-1981: Mostly copper (bronze or brass)1982-2025: Copper-plated zinc1909194319822025
    • Mostly copper (bronze or brass)
    • Zinc-coated steel
    • Copper-plated zinc
    Lincoln cent metal by year
    1909-1942bronze
    1943zinc-coated steel
    1944-1982brass or bronze, about 95% copper
    1982-2025copper-plated zinc (1982: both)
    Source: U.S. Mint coin specifications. 1982 pennies were made in both copper and zinc.

    Known rare dates and varieties

    Year and mintWhat to look for
    1909VDB initials on the back (1909 VDB). The 1909-S VDB is one of the most famous key dates.
    1909-S1909-S, and above all the 1909-S VDB with initials on the back, are famous key dates.
    1914-D1914-D is a key date: real ones are scarce and fakes made from altered dates are common.
    19221922 with no mint mark: only Denver made cents that year, so a 1922 with no D is a known rarity.
    1922-D1922-D is a semi-key date.
    1931-S1931-S is a key date with a small mintage.
    19431943 cents were made of steel. A 1943 penny that is copper colored and not attracted by a magnet would be a famous rarity; most are fakes or plated steel.
    19441944 cents are copper. A 1944 steel cent (it sticks to a magnet) is a rare error.
    19551955 doubled die: the date and lettering on the front look strongly doubled. Ordinary 1955 cents are common.
    1969-S1969-S doubled die is a famous rarity; ordinary 1969-S cents are common.
    19721972 doubled die: look for clear doubling of the date and LIBERTY.
    19821982 cents exist in copper (about 3.1 g) and zinc (about 2.5 g), with large and small dates. Weigh it.
    19831983 doubled die reverse: doubling on ONE CENT and the lettering on the back.
    19841984 doubled ear: a second earlobe on Lincoln.
    19921992 Close AM: in AMERICA on the back, the A and M nearly touch on a few rare coins.
    19951995 doubled die: doubling in LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST.
    19981998 Wide AM: the A and M in AMERICA are clearly apart on a few rare coins.
    19991999 Wide AM: the A and M in AMERICA are clearly apart on a few rare coins.
    20002000 Wide AM: the A and M in AMERICA are clearly apart on a few rare coins.
    2017-P2017-P: the only year Philadelphia put a P mint mark on cents.
    20252025 is the last year of circulating pennies: the U.S. Mint struck its final ones in November 2025. Billions remain, so ordinary 2025 cents are still worth one cent.

    Before you sell

    • Compare with items that actually sold, not only with asking prices.
    • Take clear photos in daylight: front, back, marks and any damage.
    • Do not clean coins, and do not repaint or polish old items: it often lowers the value.
    • For anything that might be valuable, get an opinion from a certified appraiser or a specialist dealer.