You probably have some coins that are worth more than face value in your pocket change or coin jar right now.
In fact, many old valuable coins are still in circulation today — so your chances of finding them in your everyday change are quite good!
Here’s a list of all U.S. coins in circulation right now.
If you’re wondering which coins to keep and which ones to spend — I’m going to show you specifically which pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollar coins are worth more than face value and worth holding onto!
A Quick Checklist For Your Pocket Change
Before you delve into the deep-dive guides for each specific denomination below, bookmark this quick denomination-and-date checklist. If you find a coin matching these baseline specs in your spare change, do not spend it until you look up its premium variety status:
- Pennies – Pull out any pre-1982 cents. These were struck from a 95% copper alloy rather than copper-coated zinc composition that came later, making their raw copper value worth at least double to triple their face value right out of the gate! Also, look for shiny 1943 steel pennies, 1955 and 1972 doubled die pennies, 1982-D small date copper pennies, and any 1992 pennies where the bottoms of the letters “A” and “M” in “AMERICA” on the back side appear to nearly touch.
- Nickels – Look closely at the reverse side of your Jefferson nickels from 1942 to 1945. If you spot a large mintmark (“P”, “D”, or “S”) stamped directly above the dome of Monticello, you’ve scored a “War Nickel” packed with 35% fine silver. Also keep your eyes peeled for the 1939-D and 1950-D Jefferson nickels, which are scarce key dates and the 1975-D nickel where the “D” mint mark is placed high, very close to the date.
- Dimes & Quarters – The magic number is 1964. Any dime or quarter dated 1964 or earlier is struck in 90% fine silver. If you flip the coin to its edge and don’t see an orange or brown strip running along the side, you’ve hit a premium silver stash! Also keep watch for the 1982 Roosevelt dime with no mint mark and any 2004-D Wisconsin quarters that have the appearance of a slender-looking looking leaf on the left side of the corn stalk very near the cheese wheel — each of these coins is worth at least $50.
- Half Dollars – Keep a massive lookout for Kennedy halves! The 1964 issues are 90% silver. But even the coins struck from 1965 through 1970 carry a 40% silver composition that makes them worth way more than face value. Others to look out for are the 1966 SMS, 1972-D, and 1982-P Kennedy half dollars with no “FG” near the lower-right side of the eagle on the back, all of which are rare varieties worth many times their face value.
- Silver Dollars – If you inherit or track down large-size dollars like classic Morgans or Peace Dollars from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they are 90% pure bullion assets worth a guaranteed premium baseline today. Also notable are any 40% silver Eisenhower dollars, each containing a nice chunk of precious metal worth much more than face value. Any 1979-P Near Date Susan B. Anthony dollar where the rim nearly touches the date is worth $15 or more and can be easily cherry picked.
U.S. Coins Worth More Than Face Value
This is the ultimate guide to U.S. coins that you definitely want to save… not spend.
There are so many that I’ve included each denomination in a separate article.
Most Valuable Pennies
A list of the most valuable pennies that you should be looking for in your pocket change. These 43 pennies commonly found in circulation are worth 100x their face value: $1 or more… each!
See which pennies you should be looking for…
Most Valuable Nickels
These silver nickels, Buffalo nickels, and other old nickels are the ones you want to save. Check out this list of the most valuable nickels, along with their current values. They’re worth at least 4x face value: 20 cents apiece!
See which nickels you should be looking for…
Most Valuable Dimes
Old dimes can easily be found in circulation today. Here’s a list of silver dimes and other valuable old dimes to look for, along with their current values. These dimes are all worth at least 15x face value: $1.50 each!
See which dimes you should be looking for…
Most Valuable Quarters
Yes, you can find silver quarters and other rare quarters in your pocket change. These are the most valuable quarters you should be looking for. They’re worth at least 15x face value: $3.75 or more apiece!
See which quarters you should be looking for…
Most Valuable Half Dollars
Silver half dollars (1970 and earlier) are valuable for their silver content alone. See which Kennedy half dollars — and others — you should be looking for, along with their current values. The half dollars listed here are worth at least 5x face value… $2.75 each! (Most are worth so much more than that!)
See which half dollars you should be looking for…
Most Valuable Silver Dollars
A list of the most valuable silver dollars — including Morgan dollars, Peace dollars, and Eisenhower dollars. The silver dollars listed here are worth at least 15x face value: $15 apiece!
See which silver dollars you should be looking for…
Find Out More About Your U.S. Coins
In addition to the articles for each denomination included above, here are some of our other articles that will help you find the value of your old U.S. coins:
- The Value Of All U.S. Coins From The 1900’s
- How To Determine How Much Your Coin Is Worth
- List Of U.S. Error Coins Worth Money (By Denomination)
- Ultimate Guide To Silver Coins & Values
- Do This Before Getting Your Coin Appraised
- Coin Grading 101: Find The Grade Of Any U.S. Coin
- Top 5 Valuable Old Coins You Can Find In Pocket Change
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