These Rare Pennies Could Be Worth a Fortune in 2050
As reported by the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Mint is planning to stop producing pennies, which could make coins currently in circulation increasingly harder to find as time passes. For collectors and anyone with a dusty coin jar at home, that might just be the best news yet. Why? Because when something stops being produced, its rarity usually drives up value.
By 2050, some of the rarest pennies in U.S. history could reach higher prices at auctions. Here are five standout coins that already fetch big money today and are likely to be worth even more in the decades ahead.
1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Limeparade
This penny is the holy grail of American cents. During World War II, copper was in high demand for the war effort, so the Mint switched to steel production. A few bronze blanks slipped through by mistake, and the 1943-D version from the Denver Mint is the rarest known of its kind.
Only one 1943-D is confirmed to exist, though other 1943 bronze cents from different mints are also known. The Denver coin has sold for as much as $1.7 million, and even lower-grade examples of other 1943 bronze cents sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
1944-S Steel Wheat Penny
In 1944, pennies were switched back to copper, but a few steel planchets were mistakenly struck at the San Francisco Mint. Experts believe that only approximately 25 to 30 copies of this penny exist.
Today, an average-condition example can bring over $400,000, and uncirculated examples have sold for more than $1 million.
1793 Strawberry Leaf Cent
The Strawberry Leaf Cent is legendary. Instead of the usual trefoil design, this cent features a four-leaf strawberry plant on the reverse. Only four coins are known to exist. One sold for $862,500 in 2009. As early American coins continue to draw attention, this cent could easily become a multi-million-dollar piece by 2050.
1958 Doubled Die Obverse Cent
Error coins are favorites among collectors, and the 1958 Doubled Die Obverse is one of the hardest to find. The doubling effect is clearly evident in the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust,” as well as the date. Only a handful are believed to exist, and one example (graded PCGS MS-65 Red and CAC-approved) sold for $1,136,250.
This was unprecedented, since it marked the first Lincoln cent to surpass the $1 million barrier at auction.
1909 VDB Matte Proof Lincoln Penny
Image via Getty Images/cpaulfell
The Lincoln cent debuted in 1909, and a small number were struck in a matte-proof style with the initials of designer Victor D. Brenner (VDB) on the reverse. These coins are easily identifiable due to their sharp-edged rims and crisp details.
Collectors already pay a premium, with top examples commanding six-figure prices at auction. For example, a PCGS Proof-66 Matte Proof VDB sold for $41,125 in 2016. Additionally, one of the finest MS-68 Red examples of the 1909-S VDB sold for $56,400 in 2021. As the first year of the Lincoln series, this penny holds a special place in coin history and could be worth far more by mid-century.