The Denver Mint struck this Lincoln cent in 2021.
It carries the familiar Union Shield design on the back.
Like all modern circulating cents, it has a zinc core with a thin copper plating.
Billions of these pennies entered circulation to meet daily trade needs.
Finding one in your pocket change is completely normal.
Finding one without a single flaw from the minting process is another story.
This particular coin earned a full Red color designation from grading services.
That means the original copper shine has not faded or oxidized at all.
An exceptional example of this coin sold for $3,300 in an eBay auction.
The sale closed in December 2022.
Professional coin graders certified the penny at the high grade of MS-68 Red.
The MS stands for Mint State, which means the coin never circulated in daily cash transactions.
On the standard grading scale, 70 represents absolute perfection.
A grade of 68 means the coin is almost flawless under magnification.
It has no noticeable contact marks, hairline scratches, or carbon spots.
Collectors compete fiercely for top-graded modern coins, which drove this record online price.
This penny is valuable entirely because of its extraordinary condition.
Modern production machinery moves thousands of coins every minute into giant storage bins.
Coins collide with each other instantly after leaving the dies.
Those heavy impacts create tiny dings and scuffs on the soft copper plating.
Getting a coin through the mint, the bagging process, and shipping without marks is remarkably difficult.
This coin is the Denver counterpart to the high-grade 2021 Philadelphia cent.
Together, both coins prove that modern US Mint facilities can produce world-class condition rarities.
Most 2021 cents will never grade higher than MS-65 or MS-66.
The tiny supply of MS-68 specimens creates intense demand among registry set collectors.
Your average change will not bring this kind of money, but top certified examples clearly do.
Start by checking the date on the front of the coin below Abraham Lincoln's portrait.
Look for the small letter D just underneath the year 2021.
That letter marks the coin as a product of the Denver facility.
Check the back to confirm the standard Union Shield design.
The coin should weigh exactly 2.5 grams on a digital scale due to its zinc core.
Use a 10x jeweler loupe to look closely at Lincoln's cheek and the flat fields around him.
You want to see bright, unbroken luster across the entire copper surface.
Look for any dark carbon specks, milky plating spots, or tiny rim nicks.
Even a microscopic contact mark will keep a coin from reaching the MS-68 level.
If you want a fast way to verify details, Coin Value Checker can do the first pass for you.
You can also use CoinKnow on your phone to scan the coin before seeking a professional grading opinion.
Always hold the coin only by its edges so finger oils do not stain the copper.
Want a number before you commit to more reading? See our roundup of the best free coin identifier apps options.
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