Major varieties of pennies include:

• 1960-D Large Date Over Small Date doubled die

•
• 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse This coin is exceedingly rare. The early specimens were confiscated by the Secret Service

until the U.S. Mint

• admitted they were genuine. Counterfeits abound, but usually have the wrong mint mark.
• How to Detect: Look for clear doubling of the entire obverse ("heads" side) except for the mint mark. If the
• mint mark is doubled, it is probably a case of strike doubling, rather than a doubled die, which isn't worth much.
• (Mint marks were punched in the dies separately in 1969, after the doubled die itself had already been made.)
• Approximate Value: Around $35,000 or more in EF-40 or so.
•

• 1970-S Small Date - High 7 As with virtually all true doubled die varieties, only one side of the coin shows doubling.

• If both sides

• exhibit doubling, the coin probably exhibits strike doubling instead, and is worth little.

• How to Detect: The rarer Small Date variety is most easily distinguished from the common type by the

• weakness of LIBERTY. The Doubled Die Obverse is best demonstrated by doubling in LIB and IN GOD WE TRUST.

• Approximate Value: Around $3,000 in EF-40 or so.

•
• 1970-S Doubled Die Obverse
•
• 1971-D Doubled Die Obverse
•
• 1971-S Doubled Die Obverse (Proof only)

• 1972 Doubled Die Obverse =The 1972 (no mint mark) Lincoln Cent doubled die variety shows strong doubling on

• all elements. The

• "Cherrypicker's Guide to Rare Die Varieties", which was an important source for this article, suggests

• using a "die marker" to help verify your finds. A die marker is a gouge or crack that identifies a particular die.

• How to Detect: Clear doubling of all obverse elements; look for a tiny gouge near the edge above the D in
• UNITED as a die marker.

• Approximate Value: About $500 in EF-40 or so.

•
• 1972-D Doubled Die Obverse
•
• 1981-S Clear Mintmark
•
• 1983 Doubled Die Reverse
•
• 1984 Doubled Ear Obverse
•
• 1990 Proof, No S Mintmark
•
• 1992 Close AM Reverse
•
• 1992-D Close AM Reverse
•
• 1994 Doubled Die Reverse (Extra Column)

• 1995 Doubled Die Obverse This doubled die variety generated a lot of mainstream interest when

• it was featured as a cover story in

• USA Today. Specimens are still being found in circulation all the time!

• How to Detect: Clear doubling in LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST.

• Approximate Value: About $20 to $50 in Uncirculated condition.

•
• 1997 Doubled Ear Obverse= where a doubled die caused Lincoln's earlobe to be struck doubled.
•
• 1998 Wide AM Reverse
•
• 1998-S Proof Close AM Reverse

• 1999 Wide AM Reverse =This variety is known for 3 dates, 1998, 1999, and 2000, with 1999 being by far the rarest. The min

• erroneously used a proof die to strike normal circulation coins.

• How to Detect: The AM in AMERICA on the reverse is clearly separated in the Wide variety. In the normal

• variety for these dates, the letters AM are very close or touching.

• Approximate Value: $5 to $25 in circulated condition, $75 to $600 in MS-63 or better depending on color.

• 1999 brings the highest prices, with 2000 being second.

•
• 1999-S Proof Close AM Reverse
•
• 2000 Wide AM Reverse
•
• 2004 Doubled Die Reverse
•
• 2006 Doubled Die Obverse
•
 • 2006 Doubled Die Reverse (Extra Knees)

Notes: (a) The "Wide AM" and "Close AM" varieties stem from the use of Proof dies on circulation strike coins, and vice-versa. They
refer to the first two letters of AMERICA and whether they are nearly touching or not.

(b) There are numerous minor 1972 doubled die varieties which have no extra value because of a Master Die having been doubled
during hubbing. It is not known for sure how many working dies were produced from this doubled Master Die, but they were
distributed to all three mints. If you need a ten power loupe to see the doubling on a 1972 penny, it probably isn't worth much
because there are so many nice doubled dies in this year which are visible to the naked eye.

(c) Since 1994, some Lincoln Memorial Cents in high grades show traces of a removed mintmark on the coin. The cause is believed
to be the removal of D and S mintmarks from dies or hubs which were originally intended to be sent to the branch mints, but
which ended up being used at Philadelphia. They are worth a small premium over normal coins for that date.

If you are really serious about searching Lincoln Memorial Cents for profitable varieties, you should consider developing a method
that allows you to systematically work your way through large numbers of coins in a short period of time. By performing the same
sequence of steps over and over methodically, your search rate will improve greatly, and so will your success in finding varieties,
because, like many other things, it boils down to a numbers game. The more pennies you search, the more varieties you'll find!
See my page explaining the 8 Steps to Finding Variety Coins in Pocket Change.

• Repunched Mint Marks where the mint marks were punched into the coin die more than once, which shows up on the
coin as a doubled or otherwise "messed up" mint mark.
• 1965, 1966, & 1967 Silver Dimes which should have been struck on clad metal with copper showing on the edge.
• Wrong Stock Errors for various coins, such as a Quarter struck on a Dime planchet.
• Rotated Reverse where the obverse and reverse don't line up properly when you turn the coin over from top to bottom.

• 4. 2004-D Wisconsin State Quarter With an Extra Leaf

• Variety experts disagree about the cause and long-term value of this type, but I've included in the list because

• it is very findable in pocket change and worth hundreds of dollars right now.

• How to Detect: There is some defect on the die that makes it appear as if there's an extra leaf on the lower

• left-hand side of the ear of corn on the reverse. The leaf is very clear. Known in two varieties, the High Leaf

• and the Low Leaf type.

• Approximate Value: $200-$300 in MS-60 or so.

•
• 6. 1982 No Mint Mark Roosevelt Dime

• At the point in time that these coins were made, the dies sent to the individual branch mints would be

• punched with the proper mint mark letter for that branch. This variety is believed to be caused because

• one or more non-punched dies were used to make coins. (The letter P was being used for Philadelphia on

• dimes at this time.)

• How to Detect: The 1982 dime is missing a mint mark.

• Approximate Value: About $30 to $50 in AU-50, more for higher grades.

• 7. Presidential Dollar Edge Lettering Errors

• Ever since the first Presidential Dollar (the Washington Dollar issued in 2007) there have been errors

• associated with the lettering on the edge of these coins. In some cases it is missing entirely. In others,

• the edge lettering has been placed there multiple times.

• How to Detect: Look at the edge. The inscription should appear fully incused all around the circumference

• of the coin. Missing or doubled inscriptions are rare and valuable.

• Approximate Value: $50 to $3,000, depending on the President.

• 9. Certain Uncirculated State Quarters

• As the economy has worsened, people who have been hoarding rolls of State Quarters have been

• spending them into circulation. If you can put together whole rolls Uncirculated quarters of certain in-demand

• states, you can get as much as $50 per roll for them.

• How to Detect: Demand changes from time-to-time based on major coin dealer promotions. Currently, look
• for Georgia, Connecticut, Tennessee, and Illinois. Quarters must be Uncirculated!

• Approximate Value: $20 to $52 per roll for strictly Uncirculated rolls of certain states. For current updates,

• see the State Quarter Rolls Value Guide.

• 10. Silver Half Dollars

• Most people think that the silver in U.S. coins ended in 1964, but this isn't true. The Half Dollar coin had silver

• in it until 1970. Many people spend the Half Dollars from 1965 to 1970, or sells them in rolls of halves they take

• to the bank, not realizing they are 40% silver.

• How to Detect: If the Half Dollar is dated 1964 or earlier, it is 90% silver. Halves dated from 1965 to 1970 are

• 40% silver. You might also find silver Proof Half Dollars, which are 90% silver and dated to current. Silver Proof

• Halves have very shiny, mirror-like surfaces and there is no copper color when you view the edge.

• Approximate Value: Value is based on silver spot price.