Old pennies in Denver
Sell Wheat and Indian Head Pennies in Denver
We buy Indian Head cents, Lincoln wheat cents, steel cents and whole rolls or coffee cans of old pennies from sellers across the Denver metro. Every cent gets sorted by date, mint mark and condition before we write an offer.
Private appointments across the Denver metro. We call back the same business day.
How old pennies are priced
Most wheat cents are common, so a big can of them is priced by the count. The money in old pennies sits in a small number of scarcer dates and mint marks, in Indian Head cents with strong detail, and in coins that still show their original red color. We pull those out one at a time and list them separately on your written offer.
What separates a common cent from a better one
- Date and mint mark come first, since some D and S cents were struck in smaller numbers.
- Less wear means a higher grade, so sharp lines on the wheat stalks help.
- Color counts on copper, with red ahead of red-brown and brown.
- Cleaning strips the natural color and lowers the grade.
- Corrosion, spots and scratches pull a cent down even when the date is good.
Old pennies we buy
- Lincoln wheat cents
- Indian Head cents
- 1943 steel cents
- D and S mint mark cents
- Rolls of wheat pennies
- Coffee cans and jars of old cents
- Penny folders and albums
- Bank bags of mixed cents
What happens when we meet
- 1
Call or send the form
Tell us roughly what you have. We call back the same business day and set a private appointment at a time that suits you.
- 2
Bring everything as it is
Don't clean, polish or sort. Bring the jars, albums and jewelry box, plus a government-issued photo ID if you plan to sell.
- 3
Watch each piece get checked
Date, mint mark and grade for coins. Karat for gold. Non-destructive testing and a calibrated scale, right in front of you.
- 4
Take the written offer, or don't
Say yes and get paid that visit by cash, check or wire. Say no and leave with everything plus the item-by-item list.
Selling in Denver
The D under the date, and the cans it fills
Lincoln cents struck at the Denver Mint on West Colfax Avenue carry a small D under the date. The Mint began striking coins in 1906, and wheat cents ran from 1909 to 1958, so Denver made them for nearly the whole run. When a family here opens a can of old pennies, there are usually plenty of D cents mixed in with the plain Philadelphia ones.
The cans come from all over the metro. A ranch house in Wheat Ridge might give up three coffee cans that a grandfather filled from his pockets every night after work. A condo in Capitol Hill might hold one cardboard folder with half its holes filled, started by a kid in the 1950s and forgotten once the kid grew up. Both deserve a careful look, and we give each the same attention.
Color is where copper cents get confusing. Collectors sort them into three color grades. Red means the coin still has most of its original orange mint color. Red-brown means part of that color has faded. Brown means the coin has toned all the way down, which is how most circulated wheat cents look. With the same date and the same wear, a red cent usually brings more than a brown one.
Most wheat cents are common because the Mint struck huge numbers of them and people saved them by the jar. A smaller group of dates and mint marks came out in much lower numbers, and those are what collectors hunt for. San Francisco S cents and some of the early Denver D cents are the first places we look, along with any Indian Head cent from 1859 to 1909 that still shows sharp detail.
The 1943 cents are their own story. That year the Mint struck cents in zinc-coated steel, so they look silver gray instead of copper. Most of them are common, but people tend to save them because they look so odd next to the rest. Many have rusty spots by now, and that lowers the grade.
Please do not clean the pennies or roll them back up for us. Bring the cans, jars and folders the way you found them. We sort every cent at the table, write down the better ones line by line and price the rest by count. Call 303-401-0104, and we will return your call the same business day.
Sellers come from
Questions
Common questions
Are my wheat pennies worth anything?
Most wheat cents are common, and a can of them is priced by count. The ones worth more are scarcer dates and mint marks, plus sharp coins that still show original red color. We sort every cent at the table so you can see which ones belong in which group before you decide whether to sell any of them.
What does a D or S under the date mean?
D means the cent was struck at the Denver Mint, which started striking coins in 1906. S means San Francisco, and a cent with no mark came from Philadelphia. Some D and S cents were made in smaller numbers than the Philadelphia cents of the same year, which is why we check the mint mark on every single coin.
Is my 1943 steel penny rare?
Most 1943 steel cents are common. The Mint struck cents in zinc-coated steel that year, so a silver-gray 1943 cent is exactly what you would expect to find. Condition still matters, and a bright example with no rust is worth more than a spotted one. We look at each steel cent and price it on its grade.
Should I clean my old pennies before I bring them?
No. Cleaning removes the natural color and leaves fine scratches, and both lower the grade. A cleaned red cent often ends up priced like a brown one. Leave the pennies in the can, folder or roll you found them in. Dirt and dull toning do not bother us, and we can judge the coins as they are.
Do you buy whole coffee cans of pennies?
Yes. Cans, jars, rolls and bank bags are all welcome. We sort through them at the appointment, set aside the better dates and mint marks and list those line by line. The common cents get priced by count. If a can is very heavy or you have several of them, ask about a home visit when you call 303-401-0104.
Find out what your coins and gold are worth. Then decide.
- Free evaluation, with no obligation to sell
- Every piece checked in front of you
- A written offer, item by item
- Paid the same visit if you say yes
Request your free offer
Three quick questions. We call back the same business day.
or call (303) 401-0104