Your penny can be worth $18,000 – the exact “little date bug” you need to be looking for

CHECK your change because if your penny has that little date error it could be worth thousands.

In 1982, the US Mint produced two main variations of the 1982 Lincoln Memorial Penny, the small date and the large date.

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Also, the metal composition changed between the two coins from a more expensive 95 percent copper penny to a 97.5 percent zinc penny, which is much cheaper.

While each penny looks almost identical, the only real difference is the weight of the coin and the size of the dates.

The tip came from a coin collector called thebowerscoinshow on TikTok.

Bowers Coin posted a video detailing some key factors to look out for when considering going on one of the little dates.

“The large date has a straight line in the two, but the small date has a faint line in the two,” said the collector.

Another important factor is the weight of the penny, as this allows you to see its composition.

Zinc pennies weigh about 2.5 grams while copper pennies weigh about 3.1 grams.

Bowers Coin revealed that a rare 1982 small-date copper penny sold for $18,000.

THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL PENNY

The Lincoln Memorial penny design was introduced in 1959 and minted in Philadelphia and Denver.

President Lincoln is depicted on the front with the words LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST and the date.

The design was first produced in 1909 to commemorate Lincoln’s 100th birthday.

The reverse features the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate Lincoln’s 150th birthday, replacing the Wheat Ears design.

Two designers designed the coin: the obverse was designed by Victor D. Brenner while the reverse was designed by Frank Gasparro.

DETERMINE COIN VALUES

Coin experts determine the value of a coin based on various factors.

This includes Edition, Error, Demand, Age, Design, Certification and Condition.

More importantly, coins are graded on a rigorous scale – collectors pay big bucks for that.

There are five main components when it comes to a grading scale, including aspiration, surface preservation, luster, coloration, and eye irritation.

Coins are assigned a whole number between 1 and 70, with the highest number being near perfect.

MORE VALUABLE PENNIES

Some other pennies to watch out for are double dice errors.

Probably the most famous of all is the double stamp piece from 1955.

In average condition, the 1955 Double Die Penny is worth $1,318 according to the USA Coin Book.

The value could exceed $17,000 if it is an MS 63 class.

A buyer recently paid more than $2,000 for a high quality 1955 circulating piece.

There is also the unminted 1922 Lincoln penny, which can be worth thousands depending on condition.

According to the USA Coin Book, it’s worth $946 in average condition and up to $30,724 when in “uncirculated (MS-63)” condition.

According to collectors guide Lincoln Cents, an estimated 25,000 unminted pennies were made, of which “maybe” 10,000 remain.

To see if your spare change is worth something, you can check eBay by searching for the full name, selecting the listing “sold” and then toggling the search to “highest value”.

Your coin can have an “ultra cameo” detail making it worth $2,100.

Also, another rare cent sold for $10,700 after being minted over a century ago.