If you have a jar of old pennies, you might be holding a $10,000+ treasure without even knowing it. The 1982-D Lincoln Small Date Copper penny is one of the rarest and most valuable modern mint errors — and collectors are paying top dollar at auctions.
In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to identify this rare penny, why it’s worth so much, and what to do if you find one.
Why the 1982-D Small Date Copper Penny Is So Valuable
- Transition Year: 1982 was the last year the U.S. Mint made copper pennies before switching to zinc.
- Minting Mistake: A small number of copper planchets were accidentally used at the Denver Mint for Small Date pennies.
- Extreme Rarity: Only a handful have been authenticated by PCGS and NGC.
- Auction Record: One graded MS-64 sold for $18,800 at Heritage Auctions.
3 Steps to Identify a $10,000+ 1982-D Penny
1. Check the Mint Mark and Year
- Must be 1982-D (Denver mint mark under the date).
- Philadelphia (no mint mark) and San Francisco (S) coins are not part of this error.
2. Verify the Date Style
- Small Date (Valuable)
- The “8” and “2” are the same height.
- The “2” has a thin, curved tail.
- Large Date (Not Valuable)
- The “8” sits slightly lower than the “2.”
- The “2” is thicker and more upright.
3. Weigh the Coin
- Copper (Valuable): ~3.11 grams
- Zinc (Common): ~2.5 grams
- Use a digital coin scale for accuracy.
Bonus: Double Die Errors Can Be Worth Even More
If your 1982-D Small Date Copper also shows doubling on “LIBERTY” or the date, its value can skyrocket to $50,000+.
What to Do If You Find One
- Do Not Clean It — cleaning can destroy collector value.
- Get It Graded — PCGS or NGC authentication can multiply its price.
- Choose the Right Selling Venue:
- Heritage Auctions — for coins worth $10,000+
- eBay — for ungraded or lower-value examples
💡 Tip: Even circulated examples can be valuable, so always check your change, coin rolls, and old collections.
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