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When you see a penny on the street, do you pick it up? Well if not, you might want to reconsider since that penny could be worth a lot more than one cent, and if it is from before 1982, it is definitely worth more than its a cent.
It turns out all pennies with a date of 1981 or earlier were made from nearly pure copper, which means they are actually worth three times their face value - three cents. That probably isn't too impressive, but that's just the start. There are many pre-1982 pennies out there that are valued at way, way more than three cents.
One such penny was highlighted by the TreasureTown TikTok account. That coin is from 1972, but it's not the year that makes it so valuable. On the heads side above Lincoln, where it says "In God We Trust," you want to look for an error that is known as doubling, when the words are essentially printed twice. It will also appear in the word "Liberty" and on the year. If your penny has that, it's worth up to $14,400.
Coin collectors love when there is a mistake on a coin, and when it is struck twice at the mint, causing the doubling, it's especially valuable.
But it isn't just older pennies you should be on the lookout for, plenty of newer coins are worth a bunch too - even ones from last year. Some are valuable because of where they were made, others because of a mistake and some just because of something gross.
As for what to do if you find one, you can head to a pawn shop where they might give you something for it, though it won't be what it is worth. You can also try eBay or find a Facebook group for coin collectors and attempt to sell it there.