Birch cent pennies stand out from traditional pennies that people are familiar with today for two reasons — the size and design. One of the coins sold at auction in 2015 for $2.6 million.
The error happened in 1943 when the US Mint switched from making pennies out of copper to steel to save copper for the WWII effort. 1943-dated Lincoln cent sold for a record $1.7million in 2010.
It is highly cherished by many coin collectors because it is one of the first coins that were minted when the U.S. Mint officially became operational in 1793. One 1793 strawberry leaf cent sold for almost $863,000 in 2019.
1793 Liberty Cap Wreath Cent was another type of penny that was issued when the U.S. Mint officially became operational. 1793 Liberty Cap Wreath Cent sold for $391,000 in 2004.
It is highly valued because just like the Bronze Lincoln Penny, it is also an error coin. 1944 Steel Lincoln Penny sold for $375,000.