A GROUP of Lincoln pennies are worth thousands each due to a minting error.
Some of the exceedingly rare variations of the coin may be in circulation today, and to find one could bring you serious money.
GettyA select group of pennies have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars (stock image)[/caption] HA.comThat includes a 2001 D Lincoln penny (pictured)[/caption]Pennies remain one of the first coins to ever be produced after the implementation of the United States Mint in 1792.
Philadelphia notably held the first Mint aside from the headquarters in Washington DC before locations expanded to Denver, San Francisco, and West Point.
Former President Abraham Lincoln has been on the obverse (heads) side of the penny since 1909 in honor of his 100th birthday.
The reverse (tails) side of the coin has changed several times since then, most recently to the Union Shield in 2010 to reflect the States’ commitment to be a single country.
Around the late 90s and early 2000s, however, a crucial minting error on the reverse side of a select group of three pennies was spotted.
WHAT’S THE ERROR?
Rather than having what should’ve been the Lincoln Memorial, each of the three pennies was incorrectly stamped by the reverse planchet for the dime.
The reverse side of the dime has remained the same since 1946, featuring a torch in the center, and an olive and oak branch on either side.
In between them is the iconic Latin phrase adopted as a motto by the United States: “E pluribus unum.”
This translates to “Out of many, one.”
Any coin that features the side of a different coin is known as a “mule.”
Mule mint errors are some of the rarest Americans could possibly find on a coin, per the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).
Currently, there are only about 20 known examples of the error on several different coins, including the three pennies.
THREE OF A KIND
First is the 1999 Lincoln Cent sold at auction in 2006 for $138,000, per Heritage Auctions.
It featured the Roosevelt dime stamp on the reverse side and was graded an MS66 by the PCGS, which means it was in excellent condition.
How coins are graded
Coins are graded on a scale of one to 70, with one being the poorest grade, and 70 being the most pristine example.
Numbers 60 to 70 are generally the most sought-after by collectors and are known as Mint State coins.
Pieces that fetch thousands at auction are commonly found in MS67, MS68, and MS69 conditions.
An MS-70 is near-impossible to find among older coins.
The Grading Standards implemented by the PCGS go from one to 70.
Another of the three was the 2001 D Lincoln Cent, with the “D” standing for the Denver Mint.
It was sold in 2021 for $114,000 and was also graded MS66.
Lastly, and most recently, a different 2001 D Lincoln Cent went for $96,000 in August last year.
Again, it’s possible for collectors or any interested Americans to find this error in their spare change today.
While it may be unlikely, finding one would be extremely valuable, so it’s worth holding onto it and getting it officially evaluated by professionals.
Another “sought-after” Lincoln penny is also worth $336,000 and is still in circulation.
There’s even one that went for $500,000 that’s still floating around.
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