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Penny Error Coins

From the 1943 bronze cent to the 1955 Doubled Die and modern off-center strikes: what each penny error looks like and what it's worth.

Penny Error Coins Value Chart

These are the penny error coins collectors pay the most for, with typical values in circulated and Mint State grades. Every row links to current listings.

Error / Variety	Series	Circulated	Mint State	Shop
1958 Doubled Die Obverse	Wheat	3 known	$1,136,250 record	Shop →
1943 Bronze (not steel)	Wheat	$100,000+	$250,000 – $500,000+	Shop →
1969-S Doubled Die Obverse	Memorial	$10,000+	$35,000 – $601,875	Shop →
1944 Steel (not bronze)	Wheat	$25,000+	$75,000 – $408,000	Shop →
1955 Doubled Die Obverse	Wheat	$1,500 – $3,500	$4,000 – $15,000+	Shop →
1992 / 1992-D Close AM	Memorial	$500 – $3,000	$2,500 – $25,000+	Shop →
1922 No D (Strong Reverse)	Wheat	$600 – $3,000	$15,000+	Shop →
1972 Doubled Die Obverse	Memorial	$150 – $400	$400 – $1,500+	Shop →
1983 Doubled Die Reverse	Memorial	$100 – $300	$300 – $1,500	Shop →
1999 Wide AM	Memorial	$20 – $100	$100 – $600+	Shop →
Struck on a Dime Planchet	Any date	$200 – $1,000	$500 – $2,000+	Shop →
Off-Center Strike (date showing)	Any date	$5 – $75	$20 – $300+	Shop →

Typical retail values for problem-free coins, October 2026. Record prices are public auction results. Key varieties are often faked, so buy anything over a few hundred dollars in a PCGS or NGC holder.

1985-D Lincoln Memorial Small Cent Error 100% Unplated Zinc Planchet Rotated Die

USD $499.95

1992 Close AM DDO Penny

USD $100.00

Lincoln Cent pre 1982 double die cap error see description

USD $75.00

1955-S REPUNCHED LINCOLN CENT S/S/S ERROR ~ NGC MS-64 ~ RED ~ FIVAZ-STANTON 501

USD $138.88

1969 D LINCOLN PENNY OFF-CENTER, FLOATING ROOT FAINT 'FG' SEE PHOTOS

USD $295.00

1983 Lincoln Cent 70% Off Center Broadstrike MS60 Uncertified #432

USD $52.50

1972 Lincoln Memorial Penny Double Die Obverse (Ddo), Uncirculated Condition

USD $71.50

1999 Wide Am Penny

USD $285.00

1982 d ERROR RED Off Metal Jefferson Nickel on Cent Wrong PLANCHET Coin

USD $400.00

1995 Lincoln Head Cent. Doubled Die Obverse. In ICG Holder. MS68 RD. k133

USD $99.00

1945 No Mint Mark And “L” Errors Wheat Penny

USD $600.00

1983 DOUBLED DIE REVERSE LINCOLN CENT DOUBLE DDR ERROR- DRIPPING DIE SCRATCHES!!

USD $500.00

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Why Penny Error Coins Are Worth Collecting

The Mint has struck more cents than every other U.S. coin combined, often billions a year. Because of that, penny error coins are the easiest errors to find, and the best of them are among the most valuable coins in American history.

Most errors are still affordable, however. A modern off-center cent costs a few dollars, while a 1972 Doubled Die is within reach of most collectors. For regular cent values, see our coin price guides. If you're not sure what you have, our What's My Coin Worth guide walks you through it.

Quick benchmark: Most penny errors you'll find in change are worth $5–$100. Listed doubled dies run from $100 to several thousand dollars, and the off-metal 1943 and 1944 cents reach six and seven figures.

Wheat Penny Error Coins (1909–1958)

Wheat cents produced the most famous penny errors. The 1955 Doubled Die came from a misaligned hub, while the 1943 bronze and 1944 steel cents came from leftover blanks during the wartime metal switch.

1955 Doubled Die Obverse

Bold doubling on the date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, visible without a loupe. The best-known penny error.

$1,500–$287,000 Rare

1943 Bronze

A few leftover bronze blanks were struck in the steel-cent year. Copper colored and not magnetic. About 20 known.

$100,000–$1.7M Rare

1944 Steel

The reverse mistake: a leftover steel blank struck in 1944. Silver-gray and magnetic. Very few known.

$25,000–$408,000 Rare

1922 No D

A filled die left the Denver mint mark off. Only the strong-reverse die is the valuable one.

$600–$15,000+ Rare

1958 Doubled Die Obverse

Only three are known. The finest sold for $1,136,250 in 2023, the record for any Lincoln cent at auction.

$1,136,250 record Rare

Off-Center Wheat Cents

Older off-center strikes are scarcer than modern ones. A full date and a 40–60% strike bring the most.

$50–$500+ Scarce

Example: Checking a 1943 Penny

Almost every 1943 cent is zinc-coated steel. Hold a magnet to it first: if it sticks, it's a normal steel cent worth about 10–50 cents in circulated grades. If it doesn't stick and the coin is copper colored, weigh it. A genuine bronze cent weighs about 3.1 grams, while a copper-plated steel cent weighs about 2.7 grams. Many fakes are also 1948 cents with the 8 altered to a 3, so check the date closely.

Example — 1922 "No D": all 1922 cents came from Denver, but a worn die left some without the mint mark. Only the "strong reverse" die is the big one, with sharp wheat lines on the back. A weak-reverse No D is worth far less, and a ground-off D is worth face value.

Lincoln Memorial and Modern Penny Error Coins (1959–Present)

Modern cents are where most collectors find their first error. Several doubled dies and the 1992 and 1999 "AM" varieties still turn up in rolls and pocket change, so they're worth checking.

1969-S Doubled Die Obverse

Strong doubling on the date and lettering, but not on the S. Fewer than 100 known and heavily faked.

$10,000–$601,875 Rare

1972 Doubled Die Obverse

Clear doubling on the date and LIBERTY. The most affordable major doubled die and a great first key error.

$150–$1,500+ Scarce

1983 Doubled Die Reverse

Doubling on ONE CENT and E PLURIBUS UNUM on the back. Still found in rolls.

$100–$1,500 Scarce

1984 Doubled Ear

A doubled earlobe on Lincoln, visible under a loupe. A popular modern doubled die.

$75–$500+ Scarce

1992 Close AM

A and M in AMERICA nearly touching on a 1992 cent. The Philadelphia coin is the rarer of the two.

$500–$25,000+ Rare

1995 Doubled Die Obverse

Doubling on LIBERTY, especially the B and E. Common enough to find in change.

$20–$100+ Common

Example: Close AM vs. Wide AM

Look at the letters A and M in AMERICA on the reverse. On a normal 1992 cent, they're spaced apart. On a 1992 Close AM, they nearly touch, which was supposed to happen only from 1993 onward. The 1999 Wide AM is the reverse case: a proof-style reverse with a visible gap, found on a few business-strike coins.

Common Types of Penny Error Coins

These errors can happen in any year, so value depends mostly on how dramatic the error is. A bold, clear error on a coin with a visible date is worth much more than a faint one.

Off-Center Strike

The blank sat off-center, so part of the design is missing. Modern off-center cents are the cheapest errors to buy.

$5–$300+ Common

Broadstrike

Struck without the collar, so the coin spread wider with no proper rim. Easy to spot by size.

$10–$150 Common

Wrong Planchet

A cent struck on a dime blank, or a foreign blank, is the wrong size, weight or color. Buy certified.

$200–$2,000+ Rare

Die Cap

A coin stuck to the die and struck others, stretching into a cup shape. Dramatic and collectible.

$100–$1,500+ Scarce

Die Cracks & Cuds

A cracked or broken die leaves raised lines or a blob at the rim. Large cuds bring the most.

$5–$150 Common

Lamination & Plating Errors

Peeling metal on copper cents, or bubbling and missing copper plating on zinc cents after 1982.

$5–$100 Common

How to Find Penny Error Coins

Search Bank Rolls

A box of cents ($25 face) holds 2,500 coins, which makes it the cheapest roll search there is. For example, the 1983 Doubled Die Reverse and 1995 Doubled Die still turn up this way, along with off-center strikes and plating errors.

Know the Key Dates

Pull every 1955, 1969-S, 1972, 1983, 1984, 1992, 1995 and 1999 cent for a closer look. Check 1943 cents with a magnet, and weigh any 1982-D Small Date. Those few dates hold most of the value.

Use a Loupe on the Right Spots

For doubled dies, look at the date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST with a 5x–10x loupe. On the reverse, check ONE CENT, E PLURIBUS UNUM and the AM in AMERICA.

Rule Out Damage

Machine doubling, scratches and post-mint damage are not errors. A real error happened during striking, so the surfaces around it look original. In particular, flat, shelf-like doubling is almost always machine doubling.

Grading Penny Error Coins

PCGS and NGC grade penny errors on the 1–70 scale and name the error on the label. Copper cents also get a color grade: Red (RD), Red-Brown (RB) or Brown (BN). Red coins sell for much more, so a 1955 Doubled Die in MS-64 RD can bring several times the price of an MS-64 BN.

Tip: Certification is worth it for any penny error likely worth $200 or more. For doubled dies, ask for variety attribution, because a holder that names the variety sells for more than one listing only the date.

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Penny Error Coins FAQ

What is the most valuable penny error?

The 1943 bronze cent and the 1958 Doubled Die are the top two. A unique 1943-D bronze cent sold privately for $1.7 million in 2010, and the finest 1943-S bronze brought $504,000 at Heritage. The 1958 Doubled Die, with only three known, sold for $1,136,250 in 2023. Among cents you could realistically find, the 1955 and 1969-S doubled dies lead the list.

How do I know if my penny error is genuine?

Start with weight: a copper cent weighs about 3.1 grams and a zinc cent 2.5 grams. Then check that the error has a known cause, such as doubling on the right letters for a listed doubled die. Damage made to look like an error, such as tooled doubling or a ground-off mint mark, is common. For anything worth more than a few hundred dollars, have it certified by PCGS or NGC.

Is machine doubling the same as a doubled die?

No. Machine doubling happens when the die bounces during the strike. It looks flat and shelf-like and adds little or no value. A true doubled die has rounded, fully raised second letters, because the doubling is in the die itself. Many 1955 and 1972 "doubled dies" for sale are really machine doubling, so compare yours with certified photos.

Are 1982 pennies worth anything?

Most are worth face value, but 1982 is worth a closer look. The Mint switched from copper to copper-plated zinc mid-year, so there are seven types. The rare one is the 1982-D Small Date struck on a copper blank. Only a couple are known, and one sold for $18,800. Weigh any 1982-D Small Date: about 3.1 grams means copper.

How much is an off-center penny worth?

Modern off-center cents usually sell for $5–$20 if slightly off and $20–$75 if about half off with the full date showing. Older wheat cents and uncirculated examples bring more, and a rare off-center on a key date can reach several hundred dollars. Coins without a visible date are worth the least.

Should I clean a penny error before selling it?

Never. Cleaning leaves fine scratches and an unnatural shine that graders spot right away. PCGS and NGC will label a cleaned coin "Details," which can cut its value by half or more. Leave the coin exactly as you found it.