How Much Is a 1955 Double Die Penny Worth?

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Numismatics expert Max Hockley estimates how much this famous error coin can go for

Co-authored by Max Hockley and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: March 13, 2026 Fact Checked

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• 1955 Double Die Penny Value
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• Factors Determining Value
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• Signs It's Real
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• Signs It's Fake
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• Video

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Who knew that a coin minted with an error could be so valuable? To a true coin enthusiast, it's not surprising at all! One of the best examples of a coin with a valuable error is the 1955 copper double die wheat penny. In an exclusive interview, we asked a numismatics expert just how much this old coin can sell for, and the answer is mindblowing! Keep reading to discover the value of a genuine 1955 double die penny, the factors that make it so valuable, and signs to check if your version of this oft-faked coin is genuine.

What is the value of a 1955 double die penny?

Numismatics expert Max Hockley says a 1955 double die penny can be worth thousands of dollars. They range in value from $700-$114,000 or more. Their worth depends on several factors, including the strength of the double die error, the color, and the overall condition.

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Section 1 of 4:

How much is a 1955 double die penny worth?

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1. 
   1955 double die pennies are currently worth up to $700-$114,000+. Double die pennies from 1955 are famous, says Hockley, and many collectors are willing to pay thousands of dollars for them! The value of a 1955 penny with a double die depends on a few factors. Those include its overall condition, its circulation status, its color, and the strength of its double die strike. Below is a breakdown of how much money variations of this coin tend to go for at auction:

   • Brown (BN) 1955 Double Die Obverse (DDO) Wheat Penny
     • Circulated (Very Good to Extremely Fine): $700-$1,200
     • Uncirculated (MS60-MS63): $1,500-$3,000
     • Choice and Gem: $4,000-$8,000+
   • Red-Brown (RB) 1955 DDO Wheat Penny
     • Uncirculated (MS63-MS64): $4,000-$10,000
     • Gem: $10,000-$20,000+
   • Red (RD) 1955 DDO Wheat Penny
     • Uncirculated (MS63-MS64): $10,000-$25,000
     • Gem: $30,000-$114,000+

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Max Hockley is a numismatics expert with over 15 years of experience collecting coins. He has a successful YouTube channel about numismatics and finance with over 238K subscribers.
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Section 2 of 4:

What makes a 1955 double die penny valuable?

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   Double die error According to Hockley, the 1955 double die penny is one of the most pronounced examples of this type of error. A doubled die is a die that was accidentally doubled during casting, possibly because it moved or was set incorrectly. Every 1955 penny struck with a doubled die has a raised, doubled image on its obverse side. When the Philadelphia mint noticed that the die for their pennies was doubled, they replaced it, but by that time, some of the coins had already been mixed in with the regular, error-free ones. There aren't many of them in circulation (estimation is 3,000-4000), though, which is why they're rare and valuable!

   • What does the double die on a 1955 penny look like? On a 1955 wheat penny, the words "LIBERTY" and "IN GOD WE TRUST," and the date "1955" on the obverse side are strongly doubled. The reverse side doesn't have any doubling.
   • How many 1955 double die pennies are there? The US mint in Philadelphia struck approximately 20,000-24,000 double die pennies in 1955 before they caught the error.
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   Red color 1955 double die pennies are made of 98% copper, so when they're first struck, they have a brilliant reddish hue. But as they're handled over many decades, they start to turn brown. The most valuable 1955 double die pennies are as close to their original red as possible. Next in value are pennies that are still somewhat red, but they have brown in them, as well. The least valuable pennies are completely brown.
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   Condition The better condition a 1955 double die penny is in, the more it's worth at auction. Coin grading services like NGC and PCGS rate old coins on a scale of 1-70, with one being poor condition and 70 being perfect. The most valuable 1955 DDO pennies are often graded MS-65 or higher, meaning they're practically pristine, well-struck with easily identifiable details, and bearing very few imperfections.
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Section 3 of 4:

Signs That a 1955 Double Die Penny Is Real

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   All the words and letters on the obverse side are obviously doubled. On a genuine 1955 double die penny, you'll notice that "LIBERTY" and "IN GOD WE TRUST" are doubled, as is the date "1955." It will literally look like there are two sets of each of these details, with the top one being slightly offset from the bottom one. You don't even need a magnifying glass to see this error!
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   The letters and numbers are still distinct from one another. Remember that when a penny is double-died, it hasn't been stamped twice: it's been stamped with a die with a doubled image. Therefore, when the die strikes the planchet, the letters and numbers won't be blurred together and indistinct. You'll still be able to see where each letter and number ends.
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   The "T" in "CENT" on the reverse side has 2 lines extending down from it. Another way to tell that your 1955 double die penny is authentic is to look at the reverse side. Notice if the "T" in "CENT" has 2 small and extremely thin lines coming down from the left side of the crossbar. If you see those, it's a sign that your coin was minted with the only reverse die known to have been paired with the doubled obverse die.
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Section 4 of 4:

Signs That a 1955 Double Die Penny Is Fake

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   The doubled details are large, blurred, or inconsistent. On a real double die penny from 1955, the doubling in "LIBERTY" and "1955" is shallow and distinct. The letters and numbers are all easily distinguished from each other. On a counterfeit, the doubling is stamped long after it was struck. This results in larger letters and numbers that blur together. You might also notice that not all the words or numbers on the obverse side are doubled.
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   It's machine-doubled instead of double-died. Some counterfeits try to pass off worthless machine-doubled pennies as double dies. In a machine doubling error, the die isn't seated correctly when it strikes the coin. This causes it to bounce off the coin slightly, thereby striking it more than once. This gives the coin's struck details a blurred appearance. On a doubled die coin, the details are doubled because of the flaw in the die, so the individual letters and numbers appear more distinctly separate. These are sometimes called "poor man's" doubled die coins, and they're worth only up to $2.
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