Bearing Liberty’s head on one side and a circular chain on the other, the most expensive US penny is the 1793 Sheldon NC-1 Chain cent. The chain’s fifteen links surrounding the words “ONE CENT” represent the unity of the fifteen colonies extant in the US at the time. The design was simple enough to allow an appreciable relief of Liberty on the obverse side.
Designed and minted by Henry Voight, a reputedly unskilled die cutter, Chain cents were the first regularly minted coins in the United States. They drew criticism for the lack of artifice employed and for the use of the chain, which can easily be seen as symbolic of slavery. Due to this universal criticism, under 40,000 of these coins were minted before Voight hired Adam Eckfeldt to re-design the currency.
A 1793 Chain cent.
Fewer than 2,000 of these expensive pennies survive to this day. Five varieties of the Chain cent were minted before its discontinuation. After Dr. William H. Sheldon, author of “Penny Whimsy”, these varieties are referred to as Sheldon 1-4 and NC-1. Designated as non-collectible, NC-1 is the rarest of these varieties; only four are known to exist today. With an estimated value of $275,000, NC-1 is not only the rarest, but also the most expensive penny.
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
this is awsome you know i have a penny like that ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………(j.k) just kiding i wish but i didnt know such a coin can be so much money
i have three
how much is the coin worth??
thats a lie that penny is not worth that much, i have an older penny than that and its only $20, 000
No. Do your homework. This is worth $275,000.00 B.T.W. just because you have an older penny doesn't make it worth more.
i sold one in auction for 68,OOO but then if you find a good buyer u will get maybe double
HOW MUCH IS A 2$ BILL WORTH?
I’d say roughly 2$, if its a 1 cent coin then its worth 1 cent not ridiculous amounts of money for a piece of metal, why would somebody want it it doesnt do anything or provide anything useful
Actually, the most expensive U.S. penny sold on Sunday,
September 6th, 2009, for $1.1 million (without auction fee). It is a “1795 Reeded Edge – Sheldon 79″ and was sold at the Dan Holmes Collection auction in Beverly Hills, California.
To answer Tompee – why is it worth so much? – it is a work of art much as a painting is more than just a piece of canvass.
I have 5 of those and a value of $1.2 mil. And I’m proud of it! Make offer!!!!
5 pennys
I bought a handful of large cents in a small paper bag at a flea market. I didn’t look at all of them at the time.They all semed to be Coronet cents and Braided Hair Cents.
When I got home, there was a 1793 chain cent with them.
I’m no expert on coins.
I did some research, and I believe its real.
I’m not sure if I want to sell it, or hold on to it right now.
To be safe,I have it in a safty deposit box at the bank.
Any ideas where I could get top dollar for it ?
Don’t say Ebay
just because the coin is older, doesnt mean its value increases, the rarity is the highest factor, a saint gaudens gold double eagle sold for 17 million, and that is as young as the great depression.
how much do you think a 1961,1965,1968-D,1971,1978 and 1979 Lincoln cents will cost?
also what do you think about an Iraq Fils made in 1959, what it worth?!
thanks!