Don’t Spend This Penny — It Could Be Worth Thousands

Most people barely glance at their spare change before dropping it into a jar or leaving it behind at a checkout counter. Pennies, in particular, feel almost invisible—common, low-value, and easy to ignore. But collectors know that once in a great while, an everyday coin can carry extraordinary value. One such example is a rare penny that still turns up in circulation today, quietly sitting among ordinary coins while being worth tens of thousands of dollars to the right buyer.

The reason traces back to a pivotal moment in U.S. history. In 1943, during World War II, copper was urgently needed for military equipment, wiring, and ammunition. To conserve resources, the U.S. Mint switched penny production from copper to zinc-coated steel for that year. These steel pennies are easy to recognize by their silvery-gray appearance.