Dealing with rare coins can bring you a good amount of money, and it’s quite simple to get started. All one needs is ironclad patience and a keen eye for detail. You may already know about Wheat Pennies. These are U.S. one-cent coins that were issued from 1909 to 1958. They feature an image of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse side and two stalks of wheat on the reverse side. Do you know precisely which variations could be valued at $3,000 or more? Let us embark on an exploration.
Wheat Pennies That Could Be Worth Thousands of Dollars:
1909-S VDB
Well, folks, wheat pennies aren’t rare, but they’re quite common. These coins are nothing special in the world of rare coins, so they go for about three to five cents a pop. The 1909-S V.D.B. is a standout example of where things start to get quite interesting for Wheat Pennies. Ladies and gentlemen, in 1909, the production of Indian Head pennies by the U.S. Mint was stopped, and instead, Lincoln cents were produced.
The mint designed the new penny and put the initials “V.D.B.” on the coin’s reverse between the stalks of wheat. It’s so rare because only 484,000 coins were produced. If you want to identify this coin, just look at the obverse and spot the letter “S” (which stands for San Francisco) under the date. On the other side, you’ll find Brenner’s initials, “V.D.B..” So, based on my research, the 1909-S V.D.B. is sold for a price range of $500 to $1,600.
1909-S
This is another instance in which life is getting exciting for Wheat Pennies. The 1909-S. This is how it went down: After seeing Victor D. Brenner’s initials on the 1909-S VDB, Chief Engraver Charles Barber petitioned the Mint Director to remove them.
Although his request was granted in Philadelphia, only 1,825,000 1909-S coins could be minted before the end of the year. The lack of rarity means these coins do not fetch as much as 1909-S VDB coins. My information suggests a price range of $70 to $370.
1909-S Over Horizontal S
This here coin, folks, is a real gem. It’s the product of a mistake. So, before 1990, mint workers would use a small letter punch to apply the mint mark onto the working die manually. They can only be so precise. Well, you see, back in the day, if a coin had a mistake on its mintmark, it wasn’t just thrown away.
Nope, it was fixed up, and sometimes the errors weren’t completely removed. That’s what happened with this coin, folks. If you look, you’ll notice some faint traces of the letter “S” that was punched in a horizontal direction rather than a vertical one. This coin is estimated to be worth between $80 and $400.
1914-D
Rareness isn’t always a prerequisite for exquisiteness. You need only have narrowly escaped death to qualify. The 1914-D Wheat Cent is an example of this. Although its mintage of 1,193,000 coins is hardly exclusive, its survival rate is among the lowest.
This coin received much attention since its release coincided with celebrations commemorating Lincoln’s birth centennial. Due to widespread hoarding, they are no longer in circulation. The average value of this coin is between $150 and $3,000!
1917 Double Die Reverse
If your coin is in good enough condition, you can start making serious cash here. The mint worker who struck this coin accidentally created two impressions that were ever-so-slightly out of alignment with one another, leading to this fortuitous coin.
You can tell there is a mistake because both duplicated images are elevated. Find the date and the word “trust” deeply doubled. It is suggested that a magnifying glass be used. Prices for this coin range from $160 to $7,500.
So there you have it! It’s time to check the coins lying around your house! Maybe you have one of these coins in your possession, and you didn’t even know it! And remember, coin collecting is a fun hobby that everyone can enjoy! Happy Collecting!
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