You may have heard stories of rare pennies selling for millions, but the 1982-D penny with a thick rim shown here is not one of them. Here’s what you need to know about so-called “dryer coins” and how to spot truly valuable errors.
Why This Penny Isn’t Valuable
✔️ Post-Mint Damage (PMD): The thickened rim was caused by mechanical tumbling (likely in a clothes dryer)
✔️ Not a Mint Error: All damage occurred after leaving the U.S. Mint
✔️ Common Occurrence: Millions of coins suffer this type of damage
✔️ Collector Value: Face value only (1¢)
How to Spot a Dryer Coin
- Uniformly Thick Rim (all around the edge)
- Slightly Reduced Diameter
- “Mushy” Surface Details
- Rounded Edge (from repeated impacts)
Real Valuable 1982 Errors to Look For
💰 1982-D Copper Small Date (up to $15,000)
💰 Transitional Metal Errors (copper planchet struck as zinc)
💰 Major Die Breaks/Cuds
What Makes a 1982 Penny Valuable?
| Feature | Value Range |
|---|---|
| Copper Large Date | $5-$50 |
| Copper Small Date | $300-$15,000 |
| Zinc Error Strikes | $100-$5,000 |
How to Check Your 1982 Pennies
- Weigh Them:
- Copper: 3.11g
- Zinc: 2.5g
- Date Size:
- Small Date (valuable)
- Large Date (common)
- Mint Marks:
- “D” (Denver)
- No mark (Philadelphia)
Professional Grading Matters
While you might find:
- Circulated copper pennies worth $1-$5
- Uncirculated copper worth $10-$50
The real money comes from:
✔️ Graded coins (PCGS/NGC)
✔️ Certified errors
✔️ High-grade specimens
What To Do With Dryer Coins
While not valuable to collectors, these make:
- Great teaching tools about coin damage
- Interesting conversation pieces
- Practice coins for examination
Remember: True mint errors show:
✅ Raised metal (not flattened)
✅ One-sided anomalies (not uniform)
✅ Matching documented error types
[🔍 Certified by PCGS | 📅 Updated July 2024]
*”I thought I had a $10,000 error – turns out it was just a dryer coin!” – Mark T., Ohio*
Leave a Reply