# Most valuable/rarest pocket change US coin **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211 "2012-10-29T15:26:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211/1 "2012-10-29T15:26:06Z")
OK, we know that some US coins have a very high value. But most of those are styles/issue that are no longer in common circulation. And of course silver coins are snapped up by nearly everyone. What rare coin could be lurking in our pocket change? I am thinking it must be some known mint error? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211/2 "2012-10-29T15:34:15Z")
> **[Some of Your Pocket Change Might Be Worth More Than Face Value](https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/most-valuable-coins-in-pocket-change-768897)** > > There are a number of fairly valuable U.S. error coins and die varieties in circulation today. Learn which are worth a large premium over face value. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211/3 "2012-10-30T00:23:51Z")
That link doesn’t mention the [1943 copper cent](http://cointrackers.com/coins/13594/1943-copper-wheat-penny/), which apparently go for high five digits. All of the 1943 cents were supposed to be made of steel, to save copper for the war effort, but a couple of dozen were apparently accidentally cast in copper. Since the net result is that they look just like normal pennies from years immediately before or after, they’re very easy to overlook. You would at least notice that they’re wheaties, though. ---
**Author:** ![FE3O4ENAIL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba9def/32.png) [@FE3O4ENAIL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FE3O4ENAIL)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211/4 "2012-10-30T00:29:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > That link doesn’t mention the [1943 copper cent](http://cointrackers.com/coins/13594/1943-copper-wheat-penny/), which apparently go for high five digits. All of the 1943 cents were supposed to be made of steel, to save copper for the war effort, but a couple of dozen were apparently accidentally cast in copper. Nitpick- The copper sheet was rolled and then the blank was punched, not cast. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211/5 "2012-10-30T03:32:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > That link doesn’t mention the [1943 copper cent](http://cointrackers.com/coins/13594/1943-copper-wheat-penny/), which apparently go for high five digits. All of the 1943 cents were supposed to be made of steel, to save copper for the war effort, but a couple of dozen were apparently accidentally cast in copper. Since the net result is that they look just like normal pennies from years immediately before or after, they’re very easy to overlook. You would at least notice that they’re wheaties, though. Yep. That would be a winner. One in a trillion. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-valuable-rarest-pocket-change-us-coin/639211/6 "2012-10-30T10:43:40Z")
I once found a 1914-D cent (in XF40 condition) in a parking lot. It’s one of the “key” Lincoln Cent coins.