Lincoln Penny Value by Year: 1909–2025 Price Chart

Top 100 Pennies Worth Money: PCGS Ranked List 2026

Quick answer

Top 100 pennies worth money, ranked by PCGS Price Guide (Sept 24, 2026): from the $1.7M 1943-D bronze to $12,500 cents, with worn-grade prices.

Updated 2026-09-25 · Sources: PCGS CoinFacts, usacoinbook.com, top-100-pennies-worth-money.com, CoinWeek

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What are the key facts?

Price source: PCGS Price Guide, Lincoln cents, updated September 24, 2026
Coins ranked: 100 Lincoln cent dates, mint marks and varieties (1909–2025)
Ranked first: 1943-D bronze: $1,700,000 in MS64 BN
Ranked 100th: 1986: $12,500 in MS69 RD
Most valuable in worn condition: 1909-S VDB and 1955 doubled die: $875 each in Good (G4)
Ranking rule: Each coin's highest price in any grade PCGS lists

How to read this list

The top 100 pennies worth money below are Lincoln cents ranked by the highest value the PCGS Price Guide lists for them (updated September 24, 2026, U.S. dollars, for PCGS-certified coins). Each line gives two numbers: the top price and the grade it needs, then the price in the lowest grade PCGS lists. That second number is the one that matters if you found the coin in change.

Most of the list is made of two kinds of coins. The first is genuinely rare coins: wartime metal errors, low-mintage key dates and strong doubled dies, which are valuable even worn. The second is ordinary dates in near-perfect condition: a 1911 cent is $125,000 in MS68 RD but $2 in Good. Grades: G4 is Good (heavily worn), XF40 Extremely Fine, MS60 to MS70 Mint State (no wear); RD, RB and BN are red, red-brown and brown copper color.

Top 100 pennies: #1 to #25

#1 1943-D bronze (only one known): $1,700,000 in MS64 BN (the only grade PCGS prices)
#2 1958 doubled die obverse: $1,140,000 in MS65 RD; $340,000 in MS64 RD
#3 1943 bronze (Philadelphia): $1,000,000 in MS63 RD; $235,000 in XF40 BN
#4 1943-S bronze: $1,000,000 in MS63 BN; $175,000 in XF40 BN
#5 1969-S doubled die obverse: $605,000 in MS66 RD; $28,500 in MS60 BN
#6 1944-S steel: $525,000 in MS66 (the only grade PCGS prices)
#7 1922 No D, strong reverse: $275,000 in MS64 RD; $550 in G4 BN
#8 1974-D aluminum (one known): $250,000 in MS63 (the only grade PCGS prices)
#9 1944 steel (Philadelphia): $170,000 in MS64; $46,000 in MS60
#10 1944-D steel: $165,000 in MS63; $55,000 in MS60
#11 1974 aluminum (one known): $160,000 in MS62 (the only grade PCGS prices)
#12 1909-S VDB: $150,000 in MS67 RD; $875 in G4 BN
#13 1911: $125,000 in MS68 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#14 1926-S: $125,000 in MS65 RD; $10 in G4 BN
#15 1917-S: $120,000 in MS66 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#16 1918-D: $100,000 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#17 1925-D: $93,000 in MS66 RD; $4 in G4 BN
#18 1917 doubled die obverse: $92,500 in MS67 RD; $90 in G4 BN
#19 1914-D: $85,000 in MS66 RD; $185 in G4 BN
#20 1915: $82,000 in MS68 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#21 1914-S: $75,000 in MS66 RD; $16 in G4 BN
#22 1924-D: $75,000 in MS66 RD; $26 in G4 BN
#23 1911-D: $70,000 in MS67 RD; $7 in G4 BN
#24 1916-D: $65,000 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#25 1925: $65,000 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN

Top 100 pennies: #26 to #50

#26 1955 doubled die obverse: $65,000 in MS65 RD; $875 in G4 BN
#27 1918: $62,500 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#28 1927-D: $57,500 in MS66 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#29 1924-S: $55,000 in MS65 RD; $5 in G4 BN
#30 1928-S: $55,000 in MS66 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#31 1933: $53,500 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#32 1927: $52,500 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#33 1912-D: $48,500 in MS67 RD; $12 in G4 BN
#34 1929-S: $48,500 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#35 1936 doubled die obverse, type 1: $48,000 in MS67 RD; $50 in G4 BN
#36 1916: $47,500 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#37 1909 VDB: $45,000 in MS68 RD; $18 in G4 BN
#38 1915-D: $45,000 in MS67 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#39 1919-D: $45,000 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#40 1931-S: $45,000 in MS67 RD; $70 in G4 BN
#41 1923-S: $43,500 in MS65 RD; $8 in G4 BN
#42 1921: $42,500 in MS68 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#43 1919-S: $37,500 in MS66 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#44 1913-D: $36,500 in MS67 RD; $3 in G4 BN
#45 1925-S: $36,500 in MS65 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#46 1926: $36,500 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#47 1917: $35,000 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#48 1923: $35,000 in MS68 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#49 1941 doubled die obverse: $35,000 in MS67 RD; $50 in G4 BN
#50 1914: $32,500 in MS67 RD; $2 in G4 BN

Top 100 pennies: #51 to #75

#51 1992 Close AM: $32,500 in MS67 RD; $2,600 in MS60 BN
#52 1928: $30,000 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#53 1952-S: $30,000 in MS68 RD; $4 in MS60 RD
#54 1956: $30,000 in MS68 RD; $3 in MS60 RD
#55 1909-S/S (S over horizontal S): $29,000 in MS67 RD; $90 in G4 BN
#56 1915-S: $28,500 in MS66 RD; $21 in G4 BN
#57 1931-D: $27,500 in MS67 RD; $5 in G4 BN
#58 1947-S: $27,000 in MS68 RD; $2 in MS60 RD
#59 1913-S: $26,500 in MS66 RD; $16 in G4 BN
#60 1944-D/S (D over S): $26,000 in MS67 RD; $45 in G4 BN
#61 1909-S: $25,000 in MS67 RD; $90 in G4 BN
#62 1972 doubled die obverse: $23,500 in MS68 RD; $240 in MS60 BN
#63 1937-S: $22,500 in MS68 RD; $5 in MS60 RD
#64 1970-S doubled die obverse: $22,500 in MS66 RD; $1,500 in MS60 BN
#65 2025 last circulating cents, Omega privy mark (special issue): $22,500 in MS64 RD (the only grade PCGS prices)
#66 2025-D last circulating cents, Omega privy mark (special issue): $22,500 in MS64 RD (the only grade PCGS prices)
#67 1926-D: $22,000 in MS66 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#68 1912-S: $21,500 in MS66 RD; $15 in G4 BN
#69 1920-D: $21,500 in MS66 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#70 1936: $21,500 in MS68 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#71 1950-D: $20,500 in MS68 RD; $3 in MS60 RD
#72 1917-D: $20,000 in MS66 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#73 1920-S: $20,000 in MS65 RD; $3 in G4 BN
#74 1941: $20,000 in MS68 RD; $4 in MS60 RD
#75 1941-S: $20,000 in MS68 RD; $10 in MS63 RD

Top 100 pennies: #76 to #100

#76 1953-S: $19,500 in MS68 RD; $3 in MS60 RD
#77 1919: $18,500 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#78 1921-S: $18,000 in MS65 RD; $5 in G4 BN
#79 1911-S: $17,500 in MS66 RD; $32 in G4 BN
#80 1927-S: $17,500 in MS65 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#81 1936-D: $17,500 in MS68 RD; $7 in MS60 RD
#82 1954-S: $15,500 in MS68 RD; $2 in MS60 RD
#83 1930-S: $15,000 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#84 1938-S: $15,000 in MS68 RD; $8 in MS60 RD
#85 1945-D: $15,000 in MS68 RD; $5 in MS60 RD
#86 1982 zinc, small date: $15,000 in MS69 RD; $3 in MS63 RD
#87 1982-D zinc, large date: $15,000 in MS69 RD; $6 in MS63 RD
#88 1984-D: $15,000 in MS69 RD; $1 in MS63 BN
#89 1987-D: $15,000 in MS69 RD; $5 in MS63 RD
#90 1909 VDB doubled die obverse: $14,000 in MS67 RD; $26 in G4 BN
#91 1910-S: $14,000 in MS67 RD; $17 in G4 BN
#92 1913: $14,000 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#93 1939: $14,000 in MS68 RD; $10 in MS63 RD
#94 1918-S: $13,500 in MS65 RD; $2 in G4 BN
#95 1924: $13,000 in MS67 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#96 1935-D: $13,000 in MS68 RD; $9 in MS60 RD
#97 1944: $13,000 in MS68 RD; $4 in MS60 RD
#98 1994: $13,000 in MS69 RD; $6 in MS63 RD
#99 1930: $12,750 in MS68 RD; $1 in G4 BN
#100 1986: $12,500 in MS69 RD; $6 in MS63 RD

The pennies worth money even when worn

If your coin came from a jar or from change, rank by the Good (G4) price instead. These are the Lincoln cents PCGS prices highest in G4 (September 24, 2026):

1909-S VDB: $875
1955 doubled die obverse: $875
1922 No D, strong reverse: $550
1914-D: $185
1909-S, 1909-S/S and 1917 doubled die obverse: $90 each
1931-S: $70
1936 doubled die obverse (type 1), 1941 doubled die obverse and 1943-D/D: $50 each
1944-D/S: $45
1911-S: $32
1909 VDB doubled die, 1922-D and 1924-D: $26 each
1915-S: $21
1909 VDB: $18

Every other coin in the top 100 is listed at $17 or less in G4, and later dates are not priced in worn grades at all. The 1943 bronze, 1944 steel and 1974 aluminum cents are outside this ranking because they are valuable in any condition; PCGS lists the 1943 bronze at $235,000 in XF40.

Valuable pennies older than the Lincoln cent

Lists of valuable pennies often mix in Flying Eagle (1856–1858) and Indian Head (1859–1909) cents. USA CoinBook's 2026 ranking of the most valuable U.S. pennies places these older cents among its top 25:

1888/7 Indian Head (8 over 7): $79,458
1856 Flying Eagle: $30,623
1873 Indian Head, doubled LIBERTY: $15,249
1858/7 Flying Eagle: $15,247
1877 Indian Head: $7,812
1894 Indian Head, doubled date: $2,497
1869/9 Indian Head: $2,033
1909-S Indian Head: $1,599

These are USA CoinBook's own figures, not PCGS guide prices, so do not compare them line by line with the list above.

Why price lists disagree

The same coin can show very different values depending on the source. USA CoinBook lists the 1943-D bronze at $2,469,065 and the 1958 doubled die at $240,760; the PCGS Price Guide lists them at $1,700,000 and $1,140,000. The top-100 site in the search results gives ranges without dates or sources, such as $800 to $1,200+ for the 1909-S VDB. The reasons are practical: guides are updated at different times, some quote a single grade and others an average, and a few six- and seven-figure coins trade so rarely that each sale moves the number.

For a real sale price, look at recent auction results for the exact coin and grade. For the famous coins, CoinWeek reports that the only 1943-D bronze sold for $1.7 million in 2010 and for $840,000 at Heritage in June 2021.

How to check your pennies against this list

Read the date and the letter under it. Most of the list is decided by the date plus mint mark (no letter, D or S). The dates and mint marks guide shows where to look.
Look for doubling in the date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST. Doubled dies show two rounded, separated outlines; flat, shelf-like doubling is machine damage.
Test the metal on 1943, 1944 and 1974. A 1943 should stick to a magnet, a 1944 should not, and a normal 1974 weighs 3.11 g.
Judge the color and wear honestly. A worn, brown coin is priced at the low end of each line, not the top.
Do not clean it. Cleaning lowers the grade permanently; see coin care and cleaning.

Photograph both sides in the app: it reads the date and mint mark and flags the varieties known for that year.

How this page was made

Research and drafting for this page were assisted by AI and checked line by line against the sources listed below. Prices are copied from the named price guide, dealer listing or auction report with its date; where a figure could not be confirmed we say so rather than estimate. If you find an error, tell us and we will correct it.

1 cent coin value in one line

A U.S. 1 cent coin is worth one cent unless it is a key date, a doubled die, a wrong-metal error or in near-perfect condition. The list above shows which ones those are; the two sections below answer the price questions people search most, using the PCGS Price Guide of September 24, 2026 (PCGS, PCGS) and USA CoinBook's 2026 ranking (USA CoinBook). For 1 cent coins from other countries see Canadian pennies and the UK one penny coin.

Pennies worth about $20,000

No single year is "the $20,000 penny"; several coins reach that price in a specific grade. From the PCGS Price Guide, September 24, 2026:

1922 No D, strong reverse: $21,500 in MS60 RB.
1992 Close AM: $20,000 in MS64 RD or MS64 RB; $18,000 in MS63 RD.
1955 doubled die obverse: $18,000 in MS65 RB.
1912-S and 1920-D: $21,500 each in MS66 RD.
1917-D and 1920-S: $20,000 in MS66 RD and MS65 RD.
1941, 1941-S and 1936: $20,000 to $21,500 in MS68 RD, a grade almost no circulated coin reaches.

USA CoinBook's 2026 ranking puts the 1922-D No D at $19,307 and the 1955 doubled die at $18,707 as their highest non-proof values (USA CoinBook). The first group can be found worn; the MS68 coins cannot, so a common-date cent from a jar is not a $20,000 coin.

Pennies worth $200,000 or more

Every penny at this level is a famous rarity with only a handful known. From the PCGS Price Guide, September 24, 2026:

1943 bronze (Philadelphia), 10 to 15 known: $235,000 in XF40 BN; $1,000,000 in MS63 RD.
1969-S doubled die obverse: $250,000 in MS65 RD.
1974-D aluminum, one known: $250,000 in MS63.
1943-S bronze, 5 known: $175,000 in XF40 BN.
1944 steel, an estimated 25 to 30 known: $170,000 in MS64.
1944-D steel, 7 known: $165,000 in MS63.
1958 doubled die obverse: $340,000 in MS64 RD.

The quickest check for the 1943 and 1944 metal errors is a magnet: a 1943 cent that does not stick, or a 1944 cent that does, needs authentication. See 1943 and 1944.

FAQ

What are the top 20 most valuable pennies?

By PCGS Price Guide top prices (September 24, 2026): the 1943-D, 1943 and 1943-S bronze cents; the 1958 and 1969-S doubled dies; the 1944-S, 1944 and 1944-D steel cents; the 1922 No D; the two 1974 aluminum cents; the 1909-S VDB; top-grade 1911, 1926-S, 1917-S, 1918-D, 1925-D and 1915; the 1917 doubled die; and the 1914-D. The full ranking with grades is above.

Why are 1999 pennies worth $4,500?

We found no guide listing an ordinary 1999 cent at $4,500. PCGS lists the 1999 at $15 in MS65 RD and $150 in MS68 RD; only a near-perfect MS69 RD is listed high, at $8,500 (September 24, 2026). A 1999 from change is worth one cent.

What are the 10 most wanted pennies?

For someone searching change or old jars, the ten most worth looking for are the ones valuable even worn: 1909-S VDB, 1955 doubled die, 1922 No D, 1914-D, 1909-S, 1917 doubled die, 1931-S, 1943 bronze, 1944 steel and the 1936/1941 doubled dies. PCGS lists each at $50 or more in Good, and the metal errors far higher.

What are the top 100 valuable coins?

This page ranks pennies only. Across all U.S. coins the top of any list is dominated by gold and early silver rarities, which are priced far above most cents; start from the [rare coin identifier](/topics/rare-coin-identifier) to check other denominations.

Is the penny list worth checking now that pennies are discontinued?

Yes. The U.S. Mint struck its last circulation cent on November 12, 2025 (Wikipedia), but that does not change which dates are rare. Value still comes from date, mint mark, variety and condition.

Which US 1 cent coins are valuable?

Key dates (1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 No D, 1931-S), doubled dies (1955, 1969-S, 1972, 1983 reverse), wrong-metal errors (1943 bronze, 1944 steel) and common dates in near-perfect grades. Worn, the 1909-S VDB and 1955 doubled die lead at $875 each in Good (PCGS, September 24, 2026).

What year is penny worth $20,000?

There is no single year. At PCGS prices of September 24, 2026, a 1922 No D strong reverse in MS60 RB is $21,500, a 1992 Close AM in MS64 RD $20,000, and a 1955 doubled die in MS65 RB $18,000. Ordinary dates reach $20,000 only in MS68 RD.

What penny is worth $200,000?

A 1943 bronze cent in XF40 BN is listed at $235,000, and a 1969-S doubled die in MS65 RD and the unique 1974-D aluminum cent at $250,000 (PCGS, September 24, 2026). The 1943-S bronze ($175,000 in XF40) and 1944 steel ($170,000 in MS64) are close.

Which 1 cent is worth money if I find it in change?

Look for a 1943 cent that is not magnetic, a 1944 cent that is, doubled lettering on 1955, 1969-S, 1972 or 1983 cents, and an S under 1909 with VDB on the back. USA CoinBook notes most coins on its list are already out of circulation, but later errors and doubled dies are still reported.

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