1985 Penny, BN (Regular Strike): Accurate Value Estimator With EBay And Third-Party Auction Insights - Coins Value (2024)

FAQs

What was the error on the 1985 Lincoln Memorial penny? ›

A 1985 Philadelphia penny with partial plating had the grey zinc visible over Lincoln's head and lapel. The rest of the obverse was clad in copper. On the reverse, the error was less dramatic: a line of grey zinc cut a diagonal through the Lincoln memorial.

There were over 5 and a half billion 1984-D Lincoln Cents struck for circulation, making it a very common coin. Only in MS68 or higher is it scarce. Anything grading lower is very abundant and easy to obtain.

In 1981, the Denver mint minted 5,373,235,677 Memorial pennies. The letter D on the obverse can help you distinguish them from other coins released that year. As the mintage was plentiful, you can still find them in circulation.

In some 1987 pennies, you will notice doubling on the year date on the obverse. Such coins can fetch up to $150, which is hardly surprising given that doubled-die errors generally fascinate collectors.

History of the Lincoln Cent

The Lincoln cent's 50th birthday, in 1959, also marked the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The Mint observed it by giving the cent a new reverse depicting the Lincoln Memorial. This was fashioned by Frank Gasparro, an assistant engraver (and future chief engraver) at the Mint.

Sometimes, a Wrong Planchet Error isn't just a mix-up of two denominations from the same country. This 1943 Lincoln Cent was struck on a planchet intended for a 25 Cent piece from Curacao, a Dutch territory in the Caribbean for which the Philadelphia Mint was minting coins during World War II.

The U.S. made about 7.7 billion pennies in 1983, but only about 5,000 of them are known to have been made with this doubling error, James McCartney, director of numismatics at Stack's Bowers Galleries, tells CNBC Make It. The rarity of these misprinted pennies are what make them more valuable than ordinary pennies.

The penny in question is the 1982-D Small Date Copper Alloy Lincoln Cent, which sold at auction in 2016 for $18,800, according to Numismatic News. At the time, that lucky penny was believed to be the only one in circulation.

Of the three the 1982 no mint mark is slightly scarcer than the other two. But the 1982 D 3.11 gm SMALL DATE is extremely rare. So far only two specimens have been found, and have sold at auction for close to $35,000.

The 1974-D Lincoln Cent is very common. The Mint struck over 4.2 billion examples that every Lincoln Cent collector can own many of them. In circulated grades up to MS66 they are common. In MS67 they are much scarcer overall.

How rare is a 1957 D penny? ›

The 1957-D Lincoln Cent is a very common coin except in grades above MS66.

1987-D Lincoln Memorial Cent 1C Penny - Certified PCGS MS68 RD - $435 Value!, MS68RD - PCGS Auction Prices.

The 1991-D Lincoln Memorial Cent is a very common coin. These coins are attractive and have nice luster if found in bank wrapped rolls. The text on the Lincoln one cent coin reads as follows.

The 1969-S Lincoln Penny – Doubled Die Obverse is one of the most rare pennies sought after by collectors. This variety coin was designed by Victor D. Brenner and Frank Gasparro and features the Lincoln memorial penny design of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse.

All modern US pennies are zinc, coated with copper. They are all worth 1 cent. During WW2, steel pennies were minted. They are worth between 10 and 50 cents.

1. The 1943 Copper Penny, with its incorrect planchet composition, stands out among rare US error coins. One of the most sought-after rare coin errors in US numismatic history, the 1943 Copper Penny, is highly coveted by collectors for its scarcity and historical significance.