JazzBlog

Your Lincoln penny could be worth $66,000 - the exact 'reverse strike' detail to look for

A PENNY that features a dime look on the reverse could be worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Rare coin-focused channel Treasuretown profiled a notorious 2001-D error penny to its nearly 57,000 followers in a recent video.

While the 22-year-old coin looks normal on the front, or obverse, the reverse has the same design as the Roosevelt dime.

This is a 'mule' error, which occurs when it is struck with another coin's design.

One example, of the 2001 penny with this error sold for $66,000 in a 2022 auction.

"In the long history of the U.S. Mint, only a few dozen mules are known, and many are unique," reads a description of the coin on Heritage Auctions.

Adding to the penny's appeal is its excellent condition.

The example that sold for $66,000 is certified in an MS65 Red grade by coin appraiser PCGS.

MS65 is only 5 points away from a perfect score of MS70.

And the Red designation is for pennies that are so well taken care of that they still have a reddish tint.

Most pennies in circulation tend to darken and lose their red coloring as the years go by.

If you think you have a 2001-D Mule Penny, make sure to get it authenticated by a reputable third party.

Error coins are some of the most sought-after rare pieces.

And many of the errors are barely noticeable to the untrained eye.

A Kennedy half-dollar with two tiny letters of FG missing next to John F Kennedy's head sold for over $2,000.

And a Buffalo Nickel sold for $3,840 because one small leg was missing on the reverse.

Meanwhile, other valuable errors are more obvious.

These include many double-die coins, which result in duplicating elements.

One of the most famous versions is the 1958 Lincoln double die penny, which recently went for $300,000 at auction.

Check out a rare dime that sold for nearly $11,000.