Searching for rare coins in your pocket change can be fun and profitable. But, finding extremely rare coins can be a treasure! Once you become acquainted with basic coin-checking habits, identifying rare coins in U.S. circulation is easy. Here are three rare, yet valuable coins to keep an eye out for:
1943 Copper Penny
The 1943 copper-alloy cent is one of the most sought after coins in American numismatics. Reason being, the majority of pennies circulating at this time were struck in zinc-coated steel because copper and nickel were needed for the Allies in WWII. It has been estimated that only 40 copper-alloy cents are known to remain in existence, a dozen of which have already been confirmed. The 1943 Copper Penny has an estimated value of $10,000-$100,000. However, do to its high collector value, many have tried to counterfeit the 1943 copper penny by coating steel cents with copper or by altering the dates of 1945, 1948 and 1949 pennies.
1969 Double Die
The 1969-S Doubled Die obverse cent is very rare. You can identify the 1969-S Double Die by looking at the obverse side (heads). You will notice the phrases “In God We Trust” and “Liberty” have strike doubling damage, which coin experts refer to as a double die. This is caused from a misalignment during the production of a coin. However, there should not be doubling visible on the mintmark, as mintmarks were punched in the dies separately in 1969. Early copies of this coin were reportedly confiscated by the Secret Service as being counterfeit. It’s unknown how many 1969-S Doubled Die cents were produced. Depending on its grading, this particular coin is worth at least $35,000 or as much as $100,000.
1965 Silver Dime
In 1965, the U.S. mint stopped making silver dimes and began making dimes out of copper and nickel, as we are familiar with today. Unlike the common 1965 dime, with copper and nickel around the edge, the silver coin has a silver edge. A 1965 silver dime is a mistake and a very rare one at that! Only a few 1965 silver dimes have been found in circulation. However, if you’re lucky enough to find one, they are estimated to be $9,000 plus!
Gary Dyner is the owner of Great American Coin Company. Connect with him on Google+.
