5 coins from the 1940s that are worth a lot of money

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Have you ever gone through your old coins and found coins from the 1940s? If so, you may have something worth thousands of dollars.

Although not every ancient coin is valuable, there are some notable coins that are both rare and highly sought after by coin collectors. Some are even made from materials like gold, giving them a higher value than they originally were.

Whatever the reason, it’s never a bad thing to know you’re sitting on a small fortune. Here are five coins from the 1940s that are worth a lot of money today.

1940s Lincoln Wheat Penny

The first Lincoln pennies were minted in 1909, a century after Abraham Lincoln was born. They are called “wheat pennies” because of the images of wheat on the back, although the design has changed over the years. The front features a side profile of Lincoln itself.

The 1940s version of this penny is made of 95% copper, 5% tin and 5% zinc. This is significant because many coins began switching from copper to other materials at this time. Due to the high copper content and the fact that they are exposed to air, these pennies are generally red, brown, or a mixture of both. The redder coins are often considered the most valuable.

As for value, Professional Coin Grading Services (PCGS) has a record of the 1943 1C Bronze, BN (Regular Strike) coin (MS-62) selling for $435,000.

1940s Jefferson Five Cents

The 1940-D 5C, FS (Regular Strike) was part of the Jefferson Five Cents series from 1938 to 1964. This particular coin weighs 5 grams and is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel. It has a side profile of Jefferson on the front and the Monticello Building on the back.

The value of these coins depends heavily on the variety and is significantly less than the Wheat Penny mentioned above. There are even more copies of these in circulation today. However, an MS-68 coin has an estimated value of $11,000. Those with grades 67+ are worth $1,150. One particular coin (MS68FS) sold at auction for $21,737.50.

1940s Walking Liberty Half Dollars

These 1940 50C (Regular Strike) coins are part of the 1916-1947 series and are 90% silver and 10% copper. The specimens from 1940 are considered one of the rarest in this collection.

The overall design is quite exquisite. The front features an image of the Statue of Liberty gliding past a sunrise. A beautiful bald eagle can be seen on the back.

Just over 9 million of these half dollar coins were minted. Those with a grade of 68+ are worth around $45,000. One sold at auction for $29,375.

Mercury Dimes from the 1940s

The 1940 10C, FB (Regular Strike), part of the 1916 to 1945 Mercury Dimes series, was designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman, the same person who designed the Walking Liberty Half Dollars.

Approximately 65.35 million of these coins were minted. They are made of 90% silver and 10% copper.

This coin goes by many names, including the Winged Liberty Head Dime. But it is often called the Mercury dime because the Liberty design features a Phrygian cap with wings, making it more closely resemble the Roman god Mercury. On the opposite side are a fasces (a bundle of wooden sticks tied together) and an olive branch.

The 68+ mint is valued at approximately $15,500. One of the most expensive coins of all time was auctioned for $35,250 and was graded MS68+FB.

Washington Quarter 1940s

Designed by John Flanagan, the 1940-D 25C (Regular Strike) was part of a series of quarters from 1932 to 1964. The obverse features George Washington (side profile), while the reverse features a bald eagle. In total, almost 3 million Washington Quarters were minted.

The 1940 version is 90% silver and 10% copper. It weighs 6.30 grams. Pieces graded 67 or higher are worth around $3,000. At auction, an MS-68 coin sold for $4,060.