Lincoln Wheat Penny Worth: Imagine finding a penny worth $1.7 million in your change! In July 2025, a Denver student named Sam found a 1943 Bronze Lincoln Wheat Penny while buying a book, later valued at $1.7 million at a Heritage Auctions sale.
This super-rare coin, made by mistake during World War II, is one of about 20 known, per usacoinbook.com. Its coppery shine and huge price are blowing up X, with folks calling it a “million-dollar treasure.” Perfect for anyone with old pennies, here’s why this 1943 penny is a big deal and how to check your change for one!
The $50,000 Kennedy Coin Found in Grandpa’s Toolbox: A Hidden Treasure Story
A Bookstore Jackpot
Raksha Bandhan on August 9, 2025, is about sharing gifts, and Sam’s find feels like a festival miracle. He got this penny in change at a Denver bookstore, noticing its reddish color instead of the usual silver steel. Graded MS64 by PCGS, it was a 1943-D Bronze Penny, one of a kind, valued at $1.7 million, per coinweek.com. The coin shows Abraham Lincoln on the front and wheat stalks on the back. X users are buzzing, sharing tips to check coin jars, making this penny a fun gift idea for siblings who love a treasure hunt.
Why It’s a Collector’s Prize
In 1943, the U.S. Mint used steel pennies to save copper for the war, but a few copper blanks from 1942 were accidentally used, creating this rare error, per usacoinbook.com. Only 15–20 exist from Philadelphia, with one from Denver (1943-D) and 5–10 from San Francisco, per web:7. Circulated ones fetch $100,000–$336,000, while the 1943-D sold for $1.7 million in 2010, per web:14. X posts call it a “wartime wonder” for its rarity, beating other errors like the 1955 Doubled Die penny, per web:8.
|
Feature |
Details |
|---|---|
|
Release Year |
1943 (World War II error) |
|
Error Type |
Bronze instead of steel, D/S/no mint mark |
|
Value (Circulated) |
$100,000–$336,000 |
|
Value (Uncirculated) |
$500,000–$1.7 million (MS64: $1.7M) |
|
Weight |
3.11 grams (non-magnetic) |
|
Key Feature |
Coppery color, wheat stalks reverse |
How to Spot a Winner: Lincoln Wheat Penny
Want to find a 1943 Bronze Penny? Look for a 1943 date and reddish-brown color. Test with a magnet—steel pennies stick, but bronze ones don’t, per coinweek.com. It should weigh 3.11 grams, not 2.7 grams like steel pennies. Check for sharp details, like Lincoln’s hair or wheat lines. Watch for fakes—some are copper-plated steel or altered 1948 pennies, per web:9. X users suggest checking bank rolls or old piggy banks. Don’t clean it—scratches kill its value! Get it graded by PCGS or NGC to confirm it’s real.
Where to Look for It
With only 15–40 known 1943 Bronze Pennies, they’re super rare among billions of steel pennies minted, per web:5. Sam’s find was in Denver, but others popped up in California and Texas, per web:7. Check coin shops, eBay, or Heritage Auctions, where a 1943-S sold for $282,000, per web:0. Bank rolls cost $10–$15 for 50 pennies, per web:5. X posts say 2025 is a great year for coin hunting, so check vending machines or family coin jars. Verify with a coin expert to avoid scams.
Also read:- Rare Bicentennial Quarter Valued at $11 Million, Still in Circulation!
Is It Really Worth $1.7 Million?
The $1.7 million price for Sam’s MS64 1943-D penny matches its rarity, with circulated ones hitting $100,000–$336,000, per web:11. Regular 1943 steel pennies are worth 20 cents–$20, so don’t mix them up, per web:10. Compared to the 1909-S VDB penny ($500,000), the 1943 Bronze is rarer, per web:17. X users warn of fakes, often plated or altered 1945 coins, so use a magnet and scale. Claims of $21 million are false, per web:13. Check at usacoinbook.com for real values—even a worn one could bring $100,000!
Start Your Treasure Hunt: Lincoln Wheat Penny
The 1943 Bronze Lincoln Wheat Penny, worth $1.7 million in 2025, proves treasures hide in your change! Sam’s bookstore find shows this coin, one of 20, is a collector’s dream. Look for a coppery 1943 penny, non-magnetic, 3.11 grams, at coin shops or usacoinbook.com. Use a magnet, scale, and loupe, then get it graded by PCGS. With fakes out there, be careful—your penny could be a $1.7 million gem. Don’t wait—check your change and gift this rare coin to a sibling or keep it as a 2025 prize!