Would you say no to a bid worth more than 20,000 dollars for a 1996 coin? Some coin collectors would perhaps refuse it, but that is the price it was sold for in November 2023. In this case, we refer to the 1996 Lincoln Cent PCGS MS-69 RD. As you can see, rare coins can be worth a lot more if they are in a perfect state.
Numismatics enthusiasts know that a coin could be worth a great deal of money even if it has been recently struck. That is why it is of vital importance to examine every single piece you get and try to spot any minting errors or special features.
Where was this coin minted?
The U.S. Mint in charge of this 1996 Lincoln Cent was the one in Philadelphia. Its designers were Franks Gasparro for the reverse and Victor D. Brenner for the obverse. As for the weight of this specimen, it is just 2.5 grams.
Its denomination is just 1 cent and the diameter is 19 mm. The mintage was a large one, with 6,612,465,000 pieces. Still, it has been able to reach a great value in the 2023 auction led by Great Collections.
The exact price of this auction was $20,250.00. It is a staggering price for such a recent coin and with such a low denomination. Bear in mind that it is not made of silver or gold either. It is just made of zinc and copper.
Why was this one-cent coin worth $20,000?
As a matter of fact, it is one of the finest specimens of the 6,612,465,000 that were struck in Philadelphia in 1996. For your information, it has been graded by Professional Coin Grading Services.
Actually, they are the most reliable company in the grading services field. The best thing about this Lincoln penny is the fact that it seems to be untouched. Although collectors in the past valued having a specimen whatever the state, current collectors value the finest specimens.
As you can see in this picture’s obverse, it portrays President Lincoln and it has the inscription “In GOD WE TRUST” over his profile. On the left-hand side, you can read “Liberty” and the date on the right-hand side, is 1996.
The reverse shows the Lincoln Memorial in the middle. The words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM” below it. At the bottom, “ONE CENT” can be read.