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Penny errors list: which error pennies are worth money

Error pennies are coins the Mint made wrong: struck off-center, on the wrong metal, twice, or through debris. The types below are worth more than face value when genuine; damage done later is not an error.

Error types

• Off-center strike. Part of the design is missing and a blank crescent shows. Worth more when the date is fully visible. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $260 ($64.00 – $320); moderate: about $530 ($390 – $690); major: about $530 ($390 – $690)
• Broadstrike. Struck without the collar: wider and flatter, full design, no raised rim. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $130 ($74.00 – $220); moderate: about $210 ($120 – $350); major: about $340 ($210 – $560)
• Clipped planchet. A curved or straight bite out of the edge. The rim fades next to the clip (the Blakesley effect). Real clips show the rim weakening next to the clip. A sharp cut with a full rim is damage. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $150 ($100 – $320); moderate: about $310 ($140 – $390); major: about $380 ($310 – $390)
• Lamination / peeling. A flake of metal peeling off the surface. On zinc cents, beware post-mint plating bubbles. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $230 ($130 – $390); moderate: about $380 ($230 – $620); major: about $610 ($380 – $1,000)
• Die crack. A thin raised line across the design from a cracked die. Small die cracks are common and add little. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $85.00 ($85.00 – $110); moderate: about $100 ($85.00 – $150); major: about $140 ($100 – $250)
• Die cud / die break. A raised blob of metal joined to the rim where a piece of the die broke off. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $120 ($67.00 – $200); moderate: about $190 ($110 – $310); major: about $310 ($190 – $500)
• BIE die break. A small raised line joining the B and E of LIBERTY, so it reads 'LIBIERTY'. Popular with collectors; modest premium.
• Struck-through. Mushy, missing or sunken design where grease, cloth or wire sat between the die and the coin. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $220 ($120 – $360); moderate: about $360 ($210 – $580); major: about $580 ($360 – $940)
• Filled die / missing mint mark. Weak or missing letters from a grease-filled die. Most missing mint marks on modern cents are just filled dies.
• Double / multiple strike. Two overlapping impressions; the second is often off-center. Value depends on the offset and whether the date shows. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $140 ($100 – $240); moderate: about $230 ($140 – $340); major: about $330 ($230 – $440)
• Wrong planchet (incl. struck on a dime blank). Cent design on a blank of the wrong metal, size or weight; the weight test is decisive. A cent struck on a dime blank is small (about 17.9 mm) and silver or clad-coloured, with part of the design missing. Authenticate first. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $460 ($300 – $960); moderate: about $960 ($450 – $1,500); major: about $1,400 ($950 – $1,800)
• Die cap. A cup-shaped coin with a stretched design, from a coin stuck to the die. Authenticate first. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $340 ($260 – $620); moderate: about $620 ($340 – $1,200); major: about $1,100 ($610 – $1,300)
• Brockage. A mirror-image (incuse, reversed) copy of the design on one side, pressed by another coin. Authenticate first. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $170 ($100 – $290); moderate: about $290 ($170 – $470); major: about $460 ($280 – $750)
• Mated pair. Two error coins that were struck together and fit each other. Rare; authenticate first. Values come from sold auction lots, mostly certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less.
  minor: about $670 ($380 – $1,200); moderate: about $1,100 ($660 – $1,800); major: about $1,800 ($1,100 – $2,900)
• Post-mint damage (not an error). Scratches, dents, acid, plating or re-colouring after the coin left the mint. This looks like damage after the coin left the mint. It doesn't add value.

Famous named penny errors

• 1943 Bronze (error)

  Philadelphia · A handful known: about a dozen confirmed, and perhaps about 40 struck by mistake.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold
• 1943-D Bronze (error)

  Denver · Unique: one known.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold
• 1943-S Bronze (error)

  San Francisco · A handful known: about 4.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold
• 1944-D Steel (error)

  Denver · A handful known: about 7-10.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold
• 1944-S Steel (error)

  San Francisco · One or two known.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold
• 1944 Steel (error)

  Philadelphia · A handful known: about 27.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold
• 1982-D Copper Small Date (error)

  Denver · NGC reported a bronze Small Date 1982-D discovery in 2017; that report is not a current survivor count.

  ErrorTest first

  Rarely sold

Error values are Penny Value estimates from sold lots, mostly of certified coins; uncertified finds in change usually sell for less. Damage done after a coin left the Mint is not an error and adds no value.

Questions

What penny errors are worth money?

Off-center strikes, broadstrikes, double strikes, wrong-planchet strikes, die caps, brockages and mated pairs are the error types collectors pay for; famous named errors like the 1943 bronze and 1944 steel pennies are the most valuable.

Is my penny an error or just damage?

A true error happened at the Mint. Scratches, dents, holes, color changes and plating happened later and add no value. If you are unsure, compare it with the error descriptions above.

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