Most people who care about such thinks (collectors, stackers, numismatists) know to check the dates of any dimes, quarters, or half dollars that they come across. Anything 1964 and before is 90% silver. Though not super common these days, they still do show up with some regularity. People in the /coins subreddit are always posting about finding them in rolls or at Coinstar machines. I'm not even in the US, but my oldest son has found two pre-64 dimes.
But there are other fortunes to be found in pocket change, these involving minting errors. One such error? The double-die penny.
What Is a Double-Die Penny?
A double-die penny occurs when the coin’s die—the metal stamp used to strike the image onto the blank coin—is improperly manufactured. Instead of aligning correctly during the minting process, the design gets impressed twice at slightly different angles or positions. The result? Text, numbers, or images appear doubled on the finished coin.
It can be subtle, looking more like a slight shadow or highlighting. This isn’t damage or wear or some kind of 3d text effect, it's a minting error, one that for collectors can be worth mroe than gold.
The Famous 1955 Lincoln Cent
The poster child for this error is the 1955 double-die Lincoln cent. On this coin, “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST” look like they’re shadowed, doubled, and slightly off-kilter.
These pennies were released into circulation before the error was caught, and they’ve become legendary in the coin-collecting world. A well-preserved 1955 double-die penny can sell for thousands of dollars.
But don't fret or give up if you don't have any 1955 pennies to check. There are others! But double die errors in other years are not quite as obvious as that 1955 one.
The U.S. Mint has improved its quality control significantly since 1955, but errors still slip through. Double-die coins have been found in pennies from:
- 1969-S
- 1972
- 1983
- 1984
- 1995
They’re rarer now, but not impossible to find—especially in older rolls of pennies or loose change that’s been sitting untouched for decades. Most of those could net you $50-$300, but the 1969-S—this one has gone for over $25,000 before. That's a lottery win if you find one of those!
Those are only the big years as far as I know. There are other double die error years, but they are fairly minor and might only fetch up to $25. Still worth finding.
via pcgs.com - Note how the O and C especially look embossed
Should You Start Searching?
Well, that's kind of up to you. If you have time and are in the US, buying coin rolls from the bank and searching through them is not an uncommon activity for coin collectors. On one hand, it can be boring, but if you are lucky, you could hit it big! It can be a fun activity if you have kids to get them interested in coin collecting.
If you want to do this, your best luck will find if you happen upon a bank teller who has just received some rolls from an old lady. She might have rolled them herself using coins that had been laying around her house for decades. I've had some friends who have befriended bank tellers and have asked them to give them a call if anyone brings in rolls like this. You could try the same.
How to Spot One
If you do want to give it a try, look at the numbers in the date first. Next, the motto. Lincoln's eye and ear might also show signs of doubling.
If you have a lot of coins to go through, you may want to invest in a good loupe or magnifying glass. Even if you are young enough to see close up easily, having a good loupe can really help you identifying errors.
We don't come around a lot of random US coins here, but whenever some do come this way I usually give them to my kids and tell them to look for certain dates. Do I really think we will come across a double-die error? The chances are pretty low. But hey, why not get the kids looking, eh? It's a great way to get them interested in a great hobby!