10 Vintage Pennies That Are Worth a Small Fortune (And Way More Than 1 Cent)

It seems like everyone is trying to find ways to make extra money. While collector's items like stamps, coins, and cards aren't quite worth as much as they used to be as a whole, the ones worth anything are worth a substantial amount.

If you haven't searched through your wallet or purse lately, you may be holding on to some vintage pennies. Take a look in your change drawer or jar for some of the following 10 rare pennies that are worth a lot more than one cent. You just might hit the jackpot and have one worth thousands.

Only a few of the mistake 1944 Steel Wheat pennies were accidentally released into circulation. They sell for a median price of about $10,000, and that's in average condition. If you have one in mint condition, it could be worth as much as $408,000.

Even without the mint mark, you can sell one of these for about $2,000 on eBay. A quick way to test this penny is to see if it sticks to a magnet. The zinc-coated copper should.

Fewer than 500,000 of the 1909 S VDB Wheat pennies were produced. These smooth-edged coins were marked "V.D.B." at the bottom and minted in San Francisco.

Professionally slabbed and graded coins in average condition could yield around $950, while a mint-condition coin is rumored to be worth about $4,150. Versions of this penny are currently listed on eBay for slightly more.

If you're looking for a penny that could give you a substantial down payment on a home, scrape your wallet for a 1943 Copper Wheat penny. These were mistake pennies, and only a few were released into circulation by accident.

If you're lucky enough to avoid one of the many fake 1943 copies, these pennies are said to rake in just under $100,000 each. EBay does not currently have any verified copies.

While it won't quite buy you a house, the 1914 D Wheat penny is worth around $5,600 if you have one in mint condition. It was created as part of a series celebrating Abraham Lincoln's 100th birthday.

There are currently a few listed for around $3,000 on eBay. Even in its roughest state, you can get a few hundred dollars on the sale.

A little over 7 million of the 1922 D Wheat pennies were manufactured. The "D" stands for "Denver," which is where these were minted. 

Those that have the marking displayed correctly are said to be worth around $6,000 in mint condition. The lucky few who get this penny with no "D" marking could make up to $33,000, as those are very rare.

Many eBay options claim to be a real 1922 D Wheat penny with the misprint. You'll want to get the coin verified. No D versions are valued above $3,000 on eBay, while "weak D" options can go for over $1,000.

Flying Eagle pennies featured a design that depicted the detailed profile of an eagle as it soared through the sky on the face of it. The 1856 run of pennies only produced 2,000.

Forgeries are circulated because of its popularity, but if you procure a real one, it can be worth around $25,000 at auction and $8,000 in average condition. There are currently a few listed online for $15,000 and more.

About 17 million of the 1857 Flying Eagle pennies were produced. While one of these coins may only be worth about $15 in its average state, one in factory condition is believed to be worth about $7,000. Right now, there are several listed for around $4,000 on eBay.

The 1858 cent was minted in three varieties, small-lettered, large-lettered, and 8 over 7. The latter is worth around 10 times the amount of the others, as it is very rare. However, you can get as much as $10,000 for one of these pennies in mint condition.

There are currently several listed on eBay in protective casings very realistically for about $8,000 up to $37,600.

If you have an Indian Head Penny of almost any year lying around, you'll most likely be able to make a chunk of change. 1872 is historically a tough date to find on a coin. 

The most expensive penny of this type was sold at auction for $126,500. Depending on the state of the penny, you can rake in between $150 and $525 on eBay for this coin.

Indian Head pennies were in production until 1909 when the design switched to the current Lincoln penny. This 1873 cent has about 300 pressings with lettering that is doubled on the face side. 

Collectors estimate a going rate of about $367 to $20,125, depending on the condition of the Philadelphia-minted cent. EBay has several listed all the way up to $9,000.

These 10 pennies are worth a lot more than their original value, but there are a host more that will land you a good chunk of pocket change. If a coin collection in decent condition is anywhere in your household, it may be a fun way to get ahead financially.