1980 Penny

Last updated: September, 18 2024
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Collectors looking to purchase and hold a 1980 copper penny will need to spend $14.00 for one professionally graded MS65 condition and in a permanent holder. If the coin you are needing pricing on is in average to above average condition it will be around $4.25. Coins that are missing most features are considered to be in poor condition and therefore only worth 1 cent


1980 Penny
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  • Year: 1980
  • Mint Mark: No mint mark
  • Type: Lincoln Penny
  • Price: 1 cent-$14.00+
  • Face Value: 0.01 USD
  • Produced: 7,414,705,000
  • Edge: Smooth






Notes: When it comes to copper pennies only one color reigns supreme...Red (RD). Coins designated as Red by major grading services like PCGS and NGC will fetch a premium. Those with color Brown Red or RB will be worth slightly less, but still more than those just rated brown.

1980 Penny Basic Facts

D, S, and no mint mark specimans found, pleanty of strange errors, made of copper, not a key date, mass produced.

1980 1C


Copper Penny Color Guide

Copper Penny Color Guide

Are 1980 Pennies Copper?

Pennies minted in 1980 are indeed copper, with the mint making the big change to zinc mid year in 1982.

Are there any 1980 Penny Errors?

Yes there are a few to look out for and they are...

Penny Errors from 1980

  • 1980 DDO / DDR - double die error occur when a die has a duplicate impression. Look for doubled numbers and letters.
  • 1980 Struck on Dime Planchet- this one is just like it sounds, a dime planchet was fed into hopper and struck by a penny die.
  • Off Center Strikes - When the die and planchet dont align correctly these errors occur.
  • Double Struck - same planchet struck twice by the die.
  • Clipped Planchet 1980 Penny - This error can visually be described as a cookie cutter error. It literally looks like someone took a curved slice out of the penny.
  • Double Denomination on a Struck Dime - A strange and rare error is found this year, double denomination struck. This error occurred when a dime planchet was struck with a dime, and then the dime somehow made its ways into the penny hopper to then later be struck by the penny die. As you might imaging there are variations of this coin, some with front and reverse matching and some with them reversed. ie - a penny head on a dime reverse, or a dime head on a penny head. If you are into errors this one is worth researching more.

Mintages

Production Chart


Questions & Comments


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bliba : I have a question about the worth of a 1980 Lincoln Penny that has double print on the back. The mint stamped the Lincoln Memorial at an angle on top of the normal Lincoln Memorial. I have not been able to find any others. Posted: February 6, 2024 2:37 pm



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Admin : From the description youve given you have double struck, restruck, or even a misaligned die error. What condition is the coin in? If in good condition it might be worth sending off for grading to get a more precise and more professional answer from a coin grader. If in good condition it could be worth a few hundred dollars easy. Thanks for posting! Reply posted: June 3, 2024 3:23 pm




Price Chart

Rates listed here refer to professionally graded and slabbed coins. If new to collecting the prices below might not make sense.


Prices below are for coins designated as Red. Red Brown and Brown colors should have their rates reduced.

  • Grade AU58 = $4-$6
  • Grade MS60 = $4-$4
  • Grade MS61 = $4-$6
  • Grade MS62 = $5-$8
  • Grade MS63 = $6-$10
  • Grade MS64 = $11-$19
  • Grade MS65 = $15-$25
  • Grade MS66 = $26-$44


Is the list above a little overwhelming? If so, take 5 minutes to learn all about Coin Grading.


It's also important to note...Prices are subject to the same supply and demand laws as everything else. Coins sold at the same auction house 10x, would fetch drastically different bids each session. To raise your chances of receiving top dollar read How to Get the Most for your Coins.


We've personally researched these values. If you enjoy our content please return the favor and share this page with your friends.


How much is a 1980 Penny worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 1 cent, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $14 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say Average Circulated, we mean in a similar condition to other coins circulated in 1980, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. *** [?].


What are your coins really worth?

Use the handy-dandy calculator below to find the real value of any lincoln penny in your collection.


how much is your penny worth


Specs & Design

This coin has a total mass of 2.5 g, a diameter of 19.05 mm, and a thickness of 1.52 mm. It's edge is Smooth, and the coins are composed of 95% Copper Pre 1982, 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper after 1982.


Designer: Victor D. Brenner (obv), Lyndall Bass (rev)


Front (Obverse): The obverse or front of this coin contains the bust of President Lincoln the 16th president of the United States. The words In God We Trust are engraved in an arching manner on the top most portion of this coin. The date is present along with the mint mark. If the mark is missing the coin was issued from the Philadelphia mint. With the exception of 2017 P, the only year to contain a P mint mark to honor the 225th anniversary of the United States Mint.


Back (Reverse): The reverse of this coin has been described as Lincoln Memorial design. Nice clean lines on the steps and buildings are important for a decent grade. The Lincoln Memorial replaced the reverse after the last Wheat Cent was issued in 1958.


Most Valuable

The most valuable Lincoln Penny's. Prices listed are for MS-65 certified. Visit the link to learn more about each coin.

Image Year Mint Worth
Lincoln Penny Image 1967 $55
Lincoln Penny Image 1982 $55
Lincoln Penny Image 2000 $50
Lincoln Penny Image 2000 D $40
Lincoln Penny Image 1964 $38
Lincoln Penny Image 1959 D $35
Lincoln Penny Image 2000 S $35
Lincoln Penny Image 1962 D $32
Lincoln Penny Image 1969 $31
Lincoln Penny Image 1971 S $30
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Image Name Mint Worth

Want more? Click here to see the most valuable coins ever minted.

***Price subject to standard supply and demand laws, dealer premiums, and other market variations. Prices represent past values fetched at online auctions, estate sales, certified coins being sold by dealers, and user submitted values. While we wholeheartedly try to give honest price estimates there are many factors besides appearance, metal content, and rarity that help make up the coins overall value. Call or visit your local coin dealer for more information.

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