The San Francisco Mint struck this famous Lincoln Cent penny in 1969.
Most pennies from that year look completely normal and trade for face value.
A tiny number left the mint with a major die mistake on the front side.
This coin is a doubled die obverse, often shortened to DDO.
It also carries a full red color grade, meaning the original copper luster never faded to brown.
Together, the distinct doubling and the bright copper surface make it stand out from any typical 1969 penny.
It remains one of the most famous variety coins in American history.
A top-grade example sold for $126,500 at Heritage Auctions.
The sale took place in January 2008.
Grading experts evaluated the penny and certified it at MS-64 Red.
The MS-64 score stands for Mint State 64, which is a choice uncirculated grade.
This means the coin never went into pocket change and took no heavy hits or scratches.
The red designation shows that the metal kept its shiny, freshly minted copper appearance.
Only certified pieces in this state command six-figure prices.
Most ordinary pennies found in old change jars will not bring anything close to this record.
This variety is easily the most famous doubled die in the entire Lincoln Memorial series.
The doubling on this coin is extreme and easy to spot.
You can clearly see spread lettering across LIBERTY and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
The date numbers on the front show the same distinct doubled spread.
The coin also has an unusual history that drove up its fame.
When the first examples turned up in circulation, the Secret Service confiscated them.
Federal agents mistakenly thought a counterfeiter made the pieces to fool collectors.
Once the government realized the San Francisco Mint produced them by accident, interest exploded.
Genuine survivors are scarce, and high-grade uncirculated pieces are even harder to find.
Serious variety collectors compete fiercely whenever a certified piece comes up for sale.
You can identify this coin more easily than most other doubled dies.
Start by looking closely at the front of the coin without any special tools.
Look directly at the words LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST.
You should see strong, clear doubling on these letters with the naked eye.
Check the date below Lincoln's shoulder for the same heavy spread.
Make sure the coin has a visible S mint mark below the date.
Look at the shape of the extra lines on each letter and number.
True die doubling shows raised and rounded shapes alongside the main design.
Common machine doubling looks flat and shelf-like instead, and it adds no extra value.
If you are not sure what kind of doubling you see, you can scan the piece with CoinKnow or Coin Value Checker for a quick first check.
Any piece that looks promising should go to a major grading service for official authentication.
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