Monday, May 24, 2021
Check your pockets! You could have a penny worth some major cash. Here's what to look out for.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The coins in your pocket could be worth big bucks.
One hopeful collector thought she had something of value, but wasn't sure.
Margaret Matt asked ABC13, but this was job for an expert.
To the untrained eye, a penny is not worth much, but when Matt inherited her father's coin collection, she was certain one of the coins could be worth hundreds of dollars.
The coin in question is a penny from 1909.
If you find a 1909 penny with an S on the front and the letters VDB on the back at the bottom, it could be worth nearly $1,000.
We asked Matthew Duncan at U.S. Coins to take a look.
"What we have here is a 1909 P, no VDB," said Duncan.
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Matt's coin was minted in Philadelphia. Those 1909 pennies are not as valuable as the pennies minted in San Francisco that carry have the letters VDB on the back.
Disappointing, but Duncan says people should always look at their change, because those highly valuable VDB pennies still pop up in regular circulation.
ABC13 asked Matt if her search was like a finding a needle in a haystack.
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"Yes, it is, and I am still looking for what that needle looks like," Matt said.
Coins and bills with errors on them are also very valuable. So, take a close look at your money.
The folks at U.S. Coins say if you are not sure, take it to an expert.
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