Surely you have found a million times a pile of penny coins in your pockets, or even walking down the street, which you have not paid attention to because you consider them to be simple insignificant coppers that have hardly any value. And it is that although these coins have a practically insignificant value, some of them can keep a surprise inside!
For numismatic enthusiasts, all coins have a story, and all have a different value. And it is that in the world of coin making, errors and rare editions are a gold mine! Like for example these coins from before 1983, whose defective versions have sold for nothing more and nothing less than 20,000 dollars!!
Why are some coins so valuable?
Almost as a general rule, the coins that attract the most attention are those that have printing errors, or that represent some historical fact or commemorate some crucial moment in our country. In this case, it happened in 1983 when the US Mint changed the composition of the core of coins from being purely copper to zinc with copper coatings in order to reduce the costs of these small coins.
Thus, coins with a completely copper core were accidentally minted. This led them to become completely rare and sought-after pieces that are hidden in coin markets and in the pockets of some unsuspecting people, and can be sold for up to $20,000!
Why was the composition of the coins changed?
Before 1982, one cent coins were made entirely of copper, but the Mint adopted zinc as the main material that would keep the same appearance but changed the weight (and the composition of the coins, of course), thus making them cheaper to manufacture.
How can we identify a rare coin?
This requires attention, detail and a lot of patience! Here we will explain the process for this case of coins from 1983.
The weight of the coin is the most important factor to recognize one of these valuable coins. You have to keep in mind that normal coins after 1983 weigh between 2.5 and 2.7 grams, while rare coins (and earlier ones), like their core, are made of copper, will weigh more than 3 grams.
For this, appropriate scales are used that allow the weight of the coin to be measured. It is essential that high-precision scales are used, which offer clear reading in grams and ounces. So if you have one of those scales that round the values, it is of no use to you because they could be giving you an inaccurate figure and giving you false illusions.
Are these rare coins worth the search?
It depends on your interest in numismatics and the resources you are willing to invest in them, but remember, even if you have to spend a lot of time looking for these coins and paying close attention, when you find one of them you could be looking at a great fortune, and the stories of those who have managed to sell these coins are impressive. In 2023, one of these coins (remember that its current value is 1 cent) sold for $1,140 at an auction, but, in 2016, another one of them, known as the 1982-D Small Date Copper Alloy Lincoln cent reached $18,800!!! So, these little treasures could give you a big surprise and make you quite a bit of money with them.
So, I’m sure you’ll think twice before you dismiss small coins and pay more attention next time. Remember that every coin has its own story and its own journey, and it could be that your next treasure could be hiding in your pockets without you even realizing it!