Rare Lincoln Wheat Penny Worth $1.1 Million May Be in Your Change!

You were going into your pocket and an object came into your palm which could change the course of your entire life! This thing can very well be a fiction, but this stuff realism. Apparently, there does exist a rare Lincoln Wheat penny worth an $1.1 that lucky finder one day would be no other than you.

So if you find yourself going through your spare change recently, all the better! That little fortune in those pennies could be waiting for you.

The Lincoln Wheat Penny, or simply “Wheaties,” is a type of penny first minted in 1909 and not sold for actual coinage until 1958. On the obverse side is Lincoln’s bust: that most acclaimed of American statesmen, the sixteenth president of the USA. The reverse side features two wheat ears, one on either side.

Most are worth only a few cents or slightly more, yet there are some rare types that have been valued in the thousands for errors in minting or rarity or historical significance.

What Makes This 1 Cent So Special $1.1 Million?

There are several things that make this penny unique:

  • Minting Error: This is believed to be an error coin of 1943. It should have been a 1943 copper penny. Since the U.S. Mint had changed over to zinc-coated steel in 1943 to reserve copper for war efforts during World War II, it is thought that some copper planchets accidentally entered the production of 1943 pennies, yielding an ultra-rare copper version of the coin.
  • Rarity: It is said that there are not more than 20 pieces of this 1943 copper penny known, and some of them have sold for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, at the auction.
  • Condition: Uncirculated, or mint condition coins, demand a greater price. Some of these rare coins simply passed on from generation to generation for centuries, while some others did so preserved, boosting their value.
  • Historical Significance: Very few wartime error pennies with only hundreds of survivors are in great demand amongst the collectors.
What Makes This 1 Cent So Special $1.1 Million?

The one coin that is valued at $1.1M is unequivocally a 1943 copper penny with a Philadelphia mint mark (or no mint mark), and has been authenticated. Some report that one such penny was auctioned for more than million-$1M-and that press headlines created quite a stir.

The $1.1M Lincoln Wheat Penny: How to Spot It

How, then, can you determine whether the penny in your pocket is worth a million dollars or more? The following are the main items to search for:

Verify the date: It ought to say 1943.

The majority of 1943 pennies are made of steel and will adhere to a magnet when tested. A copper version is not going to adhere.

  • Examine the Color: Steel pennies seem silver or gray, whereas copper pennies are reddish-brown in color.
  • Check the Weight: Steel pennies are lighter at 2.7 grams, whereas copper ones weigh 3.11 grams.
  • Use a magnifying glass to check for odd markings, double-die errors, or clarity in the strike.

Mint marks are the small letterings that refer to the place where a penny was minted, which at Philadelphia usually doesn’t have a mint mark, but a Denver mint would put it a “D” on it and an “S” on those made in San Francisco.

If you think you have one, get it graded by a trusted dealer or by PCGS or NGC. Don’t clean it or do anything else to it because it will lose value.

How Could It Still Be Circulating?

You might wonder how such valuable coinage could still be out there. Well, frankly, most people just don’t check their coins very closely. They look on older coins, even rare ones, as they do on common currency and spend them out into circulation.

For years, rare coins have moved in and out of circulation unnoticed—perhaps sporadic usage emerged if someone had inherited a coin jar and treated it as pocket change or perhaps if the rare coins were exchanged at a bank.

This is part of what makes treasure hunting exciting and real: you could become one of those lucky few.

Other Important Lincoln Pennies to Keep an Eye on

You may find the following other valuable coins in your pocket in addition to the $1.1M Wheat Penny:

Only 484,000 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cents were produced; in good condition, they can fetch over $1,000.

The 1914-D Lincoln Cent is extremely valuable, rare, and worth between $200 and $5,000.

Worth hundreds to thousands of dollars, the 1922 “No D” Lincoln Penny was a notable mistake in which the mint mark was absent.

The 1955 Double Die Penny is a well-known error in which the letters and date are clearly doubled.

Double in 1972 Another well-liked double-die with hundreds is the Die Obverse Penny.

Other Important Lincoln Pennies to Keep an Eye on
Other Important Lincoln Pennies to Keep an Eye on

What is the big deal about wheat pennies to coin collectors?

As well as American history, and the thrill of the hunt, makes wheat pennies have some memories and stories behind them. They’re the first step into the world of numismatics for many wheat penny hunters. Their design, age, and errors keep many a collector interested-especially since one can still find them in circulation or coin rolls from the bank.

If You Think You Might Have One: Then check it.

  • Protect It Hold the coin by the edges or use gloves.
  • Do Not Clean It: Cleaning is a sure way to devalue an item.
  • Weight and test it with a magnet and a gram scale.
  • Check the key details and mint marks against pictures you find online.
  • After the coin has been authenticated, send it to either PCGS or NGC for consideration and grading.
  • Contact a numismatist: They will help counsel you on options for selling and valuing.

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Conclusion:

Finding a coin worth $1.1M is probably unbelievable, but it is very much real. These pennies are out there and treasure-hunters can continue to look for them, whether in a drawer, with a pile of other coins, or in an old jar. The next life-changer might be right under your nose.

Coin hunting is not for the serious collector. It’s for everyone. Next time you get change from the store, take a moment to check out those pennies. Who knows? One of those little Lincolns might make you a millionaire.

FAQS:

What, then, makes the 1943 Lincoln Wheat Penny-dollar- $1.1M so unique?

Commonly, the 1943 Lincoln Wheat Penny was made of steel, These are sometimes called error coins, and they are extremely rare, Just because of the rarity of the copper ones, it could command a price of up to $1.1 million if they were in mint condition.

How should I conduct the test to find out if my 1943 penny is copper or steel?

Test with a magnet; that is, steel coins would be attracted to the magnet while copper will not. The other distinguishing factor is color: copper has a reddish-brown color, while steel would be gray or silverish.

Would one get lucky to find these rarities somewhere in circulation?

Yes, but that is an extremely rare possibility. Some collectors or heirs, unaware of the coin’s worth, would use the coin and send it out into circulation. Thus it increases your odds by searching the old coin jars, bank rolls, or estate collections.

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