Some coins are produced with errors. It usually takes multiple presses to print onto the coin itself and in the process, errors can be made. The United States treasury has many safeguards in place to make sure these coins with errors don’t make it out into circulation. If they do get out into circulation, they are worth much more than they say on the coin.

Seven Error Coins You’d Be Lucky to get Your Hands On

1. 1955 Lincoln Double Die Wheat Cent. In 1955 a worker on the night shift failed to notice that the machine used to press the pennies was a fraction off from where it was supposed to be. This resulted in about 24,000 faulty pennies going into circulation. This coin has cool oxidation, turning the red penny into maroon and blue-ish hue when placed under light. The “1955” part of the coin is the most noticeable part of the error. These coins are worth $1,400 each.
2. 1909 Lincoln Cent Wheat Penny. With a combination of chemical reaction, age, and coin printing techniques of long ago, this coin has an extremely unique rainbow of colors. In 1909, there were about half a trillion Lincoln pennies made, with just half a million of them printed in San Francisco. This means that those with the glaring errors are far and few between. This coin will fetch you about $3,000.
3. “Cheerios” Dollar Sacagawea Coin. This was a coin that was put into 5,500 cereal boxes as part of a promotion. Some collectors started to notice that a few of these coins had a slightly different design. This dollar coin will get you $12,000 at auction.
4. Standing Liberty Quarter 10% Off Center. Some flaws on coins are very noticeable. This coin was printed a full 10% off its mark. If you find this quarter, you can get $13,000. That means that this coin has a 52,000% price increase from its original value. Hopefully you didn’t put one of these into a machine without noticing.
5. Wheat Cent Triple Struck-in-Collar Multiple Error Coin. This coin is extremely rare and has many errors, including on the side and a triple-pressing on the front. While one error makes a wheat penny rare, three errors on a wheat penny make it a one-of-a-kind coin making it worth $28,500.
6. 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent. This coin is going for $38,500. You may wonder how a coin can be worth so much. When this coin was printed back in 1909, it was one of the only coins that features the initials of the designer. Many Americans thought it was too prominent, so it was taken out of circulation but the ones that escaped are worth a fortune.
7. A Penny On-A-Nickel. This is the rarest coin around and isn’t really a coin at all. It was a huge mistake. This 1981 penny was mistakenly printed on a nickel. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on this coin it will bring you $250,000!

Coin Appraisals in Beverly Hills, Agoura Hills, Palm Springs, Indio & Southern California

When you want to get your coins appraised, you’re going to want a coin dealer that is good at appraising coins. Look for someone who has years of coin buying experience, giving you the best coin appraisal possible. Brigitte Kruse Appraisals works with collectible and valuable coins on a regular basis. Our experts routinely appraise antique coins and other modern collectibles, as well as precious metal coins and stocks. Brigitte Kruse is an educated numismatist who is familiar with all coin grades. She has worked with coins for over 25 years. In addition to appraising, buying and selling all types of coins, she is also a coin collector enthusiast! Give Brigitte Kruse Appraisals a call today!