While not every old coin is valuable, there are several notable ones that are both rare and highly coveted by coin collectors. Some are even made from materials — like gold — that make them worth more than they were originally.
Whatever the reason, it’s never a bad thing to know you’re sitting on a small fortune. Here are five coins from the 1940s that are worth a lot of money today .
The first Lincoln pennies were struck in 1909, a century after Abraham Lincoln was born. They’re called “wheat pennies” for the images of wheat on the back, though the design has changed over the years. The front face has a side profile of Lincoln himself.
The 1940s version of this penny is 95% copper, 5% tin and 5% zinc. This is significant because many coins around this time started switching from copper to other materials. Due to the high amounts of copper and their exposure to the air, these pennies are generally red, brown or a mixture of both. The redder coins are often considered the most valuable.
As for value, the Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS) has a record of the 1943 1C Bronze, BN (Regular Strike) coin (MS-62) selling for $435,000.
The 1940-D 5C, FS (Regular Strike) was part of the Jefferson Five Cents series going from 1938 to 1964. This particular coin weighs 5 grams and is 75% copper and 25% nickel. It has a side profile of Jefferson on the front and the Monticello building on the back.
The value of these coins depends heavily on the grade and is significantly less than the Wheat Penny above. There are also more of these still in circulation today. That said, an MS-68 coin has an estimated worth of $11,000. Those graded 67+ are valued at $1,150. One specific coin (MS68FS) sold at an auction for $21,737.50 .
1940s Walking Liberty Half Dollars
Part of the 1916-1947 series, these 1940 50C (Regular Strike) coins consist of 90% silver and 10% copper. Those made in 1940 are considered one of the rarest of this collection.
The overall design is quite exquisite. On the front face is the image of Lady Liberty gliding past a sunrise on the front. On the back is a beautiful bald eagle.
Just over 9 million of these half-dollar coins were minted. Those graded 68+ are valued at around $45,000. One sold at an auction for $29,375 .
1940s Mercury Dimes
The 1940 10C, FB (Regular Strike) , part of the series of Mercury Dimes ranging from 1916 to 1945, was designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman, the same person who did the Walking Liberty Half Dollars.
Approximately 65.35 million of these coins were minted. They’re 90% silver and 10% copper.
This coin has many names, including the Winged Liberty Head dime. But it’s often called a Mercury dime because the Liberty design features a Phrygian cap with wings, making it look more similar to the Roman god Mercury. The opposing side has a fasces (a bound bundle of wooden rods) and an olive branch.
The 68+ mint is worth approximately $15,500. One of the most expensive coins on record sold at auction for $35,250 and had a grade of MS68+FB.
1940s Washington Quarter
Designed by John Flanagan, the 1940-D 25C (Regular Strike) was part of a series containing quarters from 1932 to 1964. The front has George Washington (side profile), while the back features a bald eagle. Nearly 3 million Washington Quarters were minted in all.
The 1940 version consists of 90% silver and 10% copper. It weighs 6.30 grams.Those graded at 67 or above are valued at around $3,000. At one auction, a MS-68 coin sold for $4,060 .
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