THERE are at least three coins you should be watching out for in the New Year, as they could bring in serious cash.
It might be worth double-checking your pockets or sifting through spare change, as it could lead to some extra money.
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Pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters from certain years with specific details or errors are incredibly rare and valuable among collectors.
Over the past few years, three coins that are still in circulation have sold for a combined $896,600.
Even finding one of them would be incredibly lucky.
In order of when they were minted, the oldest in the collection is a 1938 nickel that went for $33,600 at auction.
1. NICKEL (1938)
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It isn’t any ordinary version, however, as it was produced at the Denver Mint, which only made a small quantity of the nickel that featured former President Thomas Jefferson on the obverse side and his Monticello home on the reverse.
Many of the rolls at the mint containing the nickel were placed aside at the time, per the Numismatic Guarantee Company (NGC).
That’s because the Denver Mint was making the highest quality coins in 1938, and some were saved as a result.
While this aspect of its history certainly adds to its worth, the 1938-D Jefferson Nickel is still moderately common.
The coin is incredibly valuable if it has “full steps,” which simply refers to the steps leading up to the former President’s Monticello home.
Many versions of the 1938 nickel don’t have the complete steps, with only a few visible.
The version that sold for $33,600 had all of them, and was also in pristine condition, graded an MS68 by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).
Grading standards of one to 70 are provided by the PCGS, with one being extremely poor quality and 70 being virtually perfect.
2. PENNY (1943)
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An MS64 grade was given to the second coin on our list — the 1943-D Bronze Penny — which sold for $840,000 a few years ago.
The bronze aspect of this penny makes it a “legendary rarity” per Heritage Auctions.
Rare coins
You may be holding something valuable in your wallet. Check out these articles on rare coins to see if you may have a treasure hidden deep in your pockets.
The majority of pennies minted in 1943 were made of steel coated with zinc because there was a copper shortage amid World War II wartime efforts.
While most pennies made during that year were produced with steel, a finite number were struck using the bronze planchet, resulting in a 1943 “copper” penny that shouldn’t exist, per the PCGS.
Only a few have ever been found, so keep an eye out.
3. QUARTER (1950)
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Last up is a 1950 quarter, which went for $23,000 at auction in 2007.
It had a very special minting error where the wrong location was accidentally stamped on the coin and then covered over afterward.
In this case and those that are most valuable, it would’ve been a faded “S” stamp for San Francisco under the more prominent “D” for Denver stamp to replace it.
The one that sold for $23,000 was worth that price also because of its quality, rated an MS66.
Should you not manage to find these three, there are still others worth several others to keep in mind.
A dime from 1968, for example, is still in circulation and could be worth up to $45,600.
There’s also a “confusing” penny from 1982 that’s worth $15,000.
