15 Truly Valuable Coins That Might Be Hiding in Your House

Chances are good that most of the coins jingling in your pocket are worth nothing more than their face value.

But some coins have a value far greater than that. If you are really lucky, you might even be able to significantly grow your wealth with one or more of these coins.

Check out this list of valuable coins that might be in your piggy bank.

Some coins are so valuable that they can help you withstand economic downturns, even if you don’t realize it’s happening. One example of such a coin is the 1945 Lincoln head copper penny.

World War II brought production changes to the process of making coins, as resources were prioritized for the war effort. That included the penny, which was made out of steel instead of the typical copper.

However, some copper coins were accidentally struck in 1943 during the transition period. They are now worth a pretty penny, with one even selling at auction for more than $370,000.

The 1955 double-die penny has double lettering due to a mistake made during the manufacturing process. The mistake caused the words “Liberty” and “In God We Trust,” as well as the date “1955,” to appear in double letters on the face of the coin.

These coins can sell for as much as $24,000.

A double-die penny also appeared in 1972. It has issues similar to those of the 1955 version. One of these pennies sold for $325 at auction.

Beginning in 1999, the U.S. Mint issued a special set of quarters celebrating each of the 50 states. Five new designs were released each year for a decade.

But one state stood out from the rest thanks to an error: The Wisconsin quarter was minted with an extra leaf on an ear of corn. The unusual variation has fetched as much as $152.

In 1999, new golden Sacagawea dollars appeared in boxes of Cheerios cereal. Collectors later realized that some coins had extra details on the eagle design that appeared on the back of the coin.

Today, Sacagawea dollar coins with veins in the eagle’s tail feathers can sell for more than $10,000.

The U.S. Mint decided to make some changes to the design of its silver eagle dollar coins for 2008.

However, some of these coins were accidentally minted with the 2007 design on the back, creating a rare variation that can bring collectors up to $1,000 for each coin.

Changes to the nickel in 2005 included adding a buffalo to the back of the coin that features Thomas Jefferson on the front.

However, some of the nickels with the buffalo on the back featured a mistake in the die. A gouge caused the buffalo to look like it had a spear going through it, giving the mistake its name.

One of these coins sold for nearly $500.

If you look at any American coin, you can find a small letter that denotes where the coin was minted. For example, a Denver coin will have a “D” while Philadelphia has a “P.”

In 1982, some Roosevelt dimes left the mint in Philadelphia without the “P” marking, making them rarer and more valuable to collectors. One of these coins sold for $2,185.

Another state quarter sent out with an error was the Kansas quarter struck as part of the U.S. Mint state quarters series.

Some of the Kansas quarters had an issue with the words “In God We Trust,” with “Trust” showing up as “Rust” instead, giving this quarter a special value to collectors. These quarters can sell for up to $45 each.

The Morgan silver dollar has a history stretching back to the 19th century, and the U.S. Mint has struck the coin at various times since then.

The price of the coin can vary depending on which series you have, but one coin from 1889 sold for $462,000.

The most recent production was in 2021 to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1921 series. That series sold out in 45 minutes after it was introduced via the U.S. Mint’s website.

The Connecticut quarter was created during the first year of the U.S. Mint’s state quarters programs.

Some of these Connecticut quarters were broadstruck, meaning the printing stretched outside the allotted coin space. The coins go for between $2 and $50 on eBay.

In 2007, the U.S. Mint struck gold dollar coins with George Washington on the front and "In God We Trust" and "E Pluribus Unum" on the edge instead of the face.

But a printing error meant that 50,000 to 300,000 of the new coins left the mint in Philadelphia without the lettering on the side, which is why they’re now known as the “Godless” presidential dollars. Expect these coins to fetch between $40 and $60.

Collecting the state quarters series could pay off if you have a New York quarter that makes you see double.

The New York double-struck quarter from 2001 features George Washington showing up twice on the head side of the coin, with a double striking of the Statue of Liberty on the other side. The estimated value of these coins is $400.

The half-dollar with Ben Franklin on it ran from 1948 until 1963 when production was abruptly stopped after the death of President John F. Kennedy.

The half-dollars minted today bear Kennedy's profile, making the run of Franklin coins limited. The coins were also made with 90% silver, which adds to their value, estimated at between $12 and $125.

The U.S. Mint used to strike coins with 90% silver until changing its policy due to the high cost of silver.

So, check your quarters to see how old they are. Based on the current cost of silver, you can get around $3 per coin if you melt the coins. However, intact coins are estimated to sell for between $7 and $65.

If you find one of these coins, congratulations! But waiting for such luck isn't the best way to boost your net worth.

Instead, grow your dollars and cents in a high-yield savings account or find another way to increase your savings.