The Lincoln Wheat penny, made between 1909 and 1958, is one of America’s most popular and collected coins.
These small copper coins show Abraham Lincoln’s profile on the front and two wheat stalks on the back. They were used in everyday life for almost 50 years.
Most wheat pennies today are inexpensive, but some rare years, mint marks, and mistakes make certain pennies very valuable, turning these small coins into serious investments.
This article looks at five of the most valuable Lincoln Wheat pennies, explaining where they came from, what makes them special, their history, and how much they are worth today.
These rare coins show how things like limited production, errors, important history, and good condition can turn ordinary pennies into treasures worth thousands or even millions of dollars.
The 1909-S VDB Penny: The First-Year Rarity
The 1909-S VDB penny is the most famous and wanted regular Lincoln cent. It’s special because of its history, low number made, and a quick controversy that made it rare.
When the Lincoln penny first came out in 1909, the designer Victor David Brenner put his initials “VDB” on the back. People didn’t like how noticeable these initials were and complained.
The U.S. Treasury stopped making coins with the initials, so only 484,000 were made at the San Francisco Mint. This small number made the coin rare, especially compared to the 27.9 million made in Philadelphia without the “S” mint mark.
It’s also important because it was made to honor Lincoln’s 100th birthday and was the first U.S. coin to show a real person.
Today, these pennies sell for a lot. Worn ones might cost $700-$900, while better ones can go for thousands. Perfect examples have sold for over $100,000.
This coin isn’t just rare—it’s a key piece of American coin history and is the first coin many collectors want.
The 1914-D Penny: The Hidden Key Date
The 1914-D penny is another rare coin, but for different reasons. The Denver Mint made 1,193,000 pennies that year—not extremely rare, but not many survived in good condition.
Back then, collectors didn’t pay attention to mint marks and mostly collected by date only. So, most 1914-D pennies were used in daily life and became worn.
By the 1930s, when collectors started paying more attention to mint marks, many 1914-D pennies were already damaged. The Great Depression made it worse because people sold or spent their coins.
Today, worn 1914-D pennies can sell for $200-$300, and uncirculated ones can be worth up to $10,000 or more. The rarest have sold for over $150,000.
This coin shows that a coin’s value depends not just on how many were made but how many remain in good shape.
The 1922 Plain (No D) Penny: A Mint Mistake
The 1922 “No D” penny is a famous error coin. That year, only the Denver Mint made Lincoln pennies, so every penny should have had a “D” on it.
But some dies used to make coins were polished too much, and the “D” disappeared. These pennies look like they came from Philadelphia, which didn’t make pennies that year.
Experts know how to tell these coins apart by small details and the missing “D.”
These error coins can sell for $500-$750 if worn, and rare perfect ones can go for $25,000 or more. Some have sold for over $100,000.
This penny is interesting because it shows how everyday factory work can accidentally create valuable collectibles.
The 1943 Copper Penny: The Wartime Error
The 1943 copper penny is one of the most famous American coin errors. During World War II, the Mint made pennies from steel coated with zinc to save copper for the war.
However, a few copper blanks from 1942 were accidentally stamped with the 1943 date. These pennies are very rare and were made in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.
The Philadelphia ones are the most common, but still very rare, with about 15-20 known. Denver and San Francisco versions are even rarer.
Because of its link to the war and its rarity, this penny is very valuable. Even worn ones have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and perfect ones have gone for over $1 million.
There are many fakes, made by plating steel pennies with copper or changing dates on other coins. Real ones can be tested by weight, magnetism, and expert analysis.
The 1955 Doubled Die Penny: The Striking Error
The 1955 Doubled Die penny is a famous error that shows clear doubling of letters and numbers on the front.
This happened because the coin die was stamped more than once at slightly different angles. About 20,000 to 24,000 were made before the error was fixed.
Many were found in cigarette vending machines in the northeastern U.S. The mistake made the coin famous right away, and many were saved by collectors.
Worn examples sell for $1,000-$1,500, and uncirculated ones can fetch up to $10,000 or more. The best examples have sold for over $100,000.
This coin is well-known outside collector circles, often featured in articles about valuable coins that might be found in your pocket change.
These Five Lincoln Wheat Pennies Are Worth Millions
These five special Lincoln Wheat pennies show how history, errors, low production, and condition can turn small one-cent coins into valuable collectibles.
They tell stories about how coins are made, how history affects their worth, and how collectors and markets decide their value.
For collectors and investors, these pennies are the top of Lincoln cent collecting—coins with great stories, unique features, and high value, even though they are worth only one cent face value.
Their increasing value over many years shows how rare and special coins attract attention, no matter the denomination.
Most importantly, these valuable pennies remind us that amazing things can sometimes be found in ordinary places.
Finding one today is very unlikely, but these pennies inspire collectors to look closely at everyday coins—a habit that has rewarded many collectors over time and keeps coin collecting popular in America.
