Rare 2011 Penny Errors Worth Money (Full List)

Are you looking for high-value Lincoln pennies for your collection? Are pennies worth collecting in the first place? We wrote this article where can learn everything you need to know about collecting high-value Lincoln pennies.

There are many ways to collect pennies and one of the best is to collect errors. As our 2011 penny errors list will reveal, some uncirculated penny errors can be worth a premium. It is not uncommon for collectors to pay hundreds and even thousands for unique penny errors.

Generally, Lincoln pennies are only worth their face value. Even uncirculated, gem-quality specimen are quite common and usually not worth much more than their face value. If you want to collect pennies with inherent value, paying attention to errors is the way to go.

In our 2011 penny errors list you will discover valuable errors you should look out for and that can be an excellent addition to your collection. Read on for all the details!

1. 2011-D MS60 Lincoln Penny Reverse Lamination Error

Sometimes mistaken for a die crack error, a lamination error is one in which the coin’s upper layer splits along the horizontal plane and may lift on one side.

Lamination errors, which can be quite dramatic, are believed to occur due to the presence of impurities in the alloy. These impurities may weaken the adherence to the underlying copper core, resulting in the upper layer splitting into two.

The value of a lamination errors largely depends on the size of the crack—the larger the crack and the more dramatic it is, the more valuable the penny tends to be.

For example, in 2013, a collector on eBay paid $330 for a 2011-D Lincoln penny graded MS60 with a penny reverse lamination error.

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2. 2011-D MS65 Lincoln Cent Capped Die Error

A capped die is one of the most dramatic, unique and interesting errors you might come across when collecting Lincoln pennies.

This error occurs when a struck planchet gets stuck on the upper hammer die so that its reverse because the new die face. When another planchet is fed into the collar, the reverse of the stuck planchet is impressed on this new planchet resulting in a coin with the reverse design on both sides.

The struck coin with the reverse design on both sides is known as a brokage while the coin that is stuck to the die is the die cap. As the die cap continues to strike more planchets, it is pushed around and further into the hammer die, eventually taking on the shape of a small cap or thimble—this is known as a die cap error.

In 2012, Heritage Auctions sold a 2011-D Lincoln penny graded MS65 with a capped die error for a whopping $1095, making this one of the best additions to your collection when collecting 2011 penny errors.

 

3. 2011-P MS61 Lincoln Penny Grease Strike Through Error

Also known as a struck-through error, a strike through is one of the most valuable you might encounter when collecting Lincoln pennies.

This error occurs when a stray object such as a small piece of metal, strand of hair, or speck of wood gets struck between the die and planchet. The object will leave its impression on the planchet so the final coin will have an odd marking on the obverse or reverse.

Other time, the foreign object may not fall off and will instead remain stuck on the planchet’s surface, resulting in a retained struck through error.

When grease is struck between the die and planchet, the resulting error is aptly known as a grease struck through. Such an error creates a weak strike on either side of the coin as the grease obstructs the die from completely transferring the design onto the planchet.

In 2016, a collector on eBay paid $660 for a 2011-P Lincoln penny graded MS61 with an obverse grease strike-through error.

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4. 2011-P MS60 Reverse Die Clash Lincoln Cent Error

Next on our 2011 penny errors list is the reverse die clash, which occurs when the obverse and reverse dies knock against each other.

Due to the sheer pressure resulting from the clash, the dies might transfer their respective designs onto each other. So, on a coin with a die clash error you might notice the primary obverse design plus subtle hints of the reverse design.

You might need a keen eye to notice the subtle design elements resulting from the clash. Although other times the details may be readily visible. The latter error tends to be more valuable.

So, how much can you expect from a Lincoln penny with die clash error? Depending on its condition and visibility of the die clash, such an error can be worth a premium. For example, in 2014 the Great Collection auctioned a 2011-P Lincoln cent graded MS60 with a die clash error for an impressive $515.

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5. 2011-D MS64 Lincoln Cent Doubled Die Obverse Error

A common error you might encounter when collecting Lincoln pennies is the doubled die error. This error occurs when the die strikes the planchet at slightly different angles multiple times, which causes the inscriptions and devices to overlap or double.

Despite being common, a doubled die obverse error has the potential to fetch a premium. Look out for uncirculated Lincoln pennies with intense doubling on the obverse or reverse.

In 2012, Heritage Auctions sold a 2011-D Lincoln penny graded MS64 with a doubled die obverse error for an eye-watering $720, probably one of the most expensive doubled die penny error.

 

6. 2011-P MS64 Lincoln Penny Clipped Planchet Error

Another unique error you might encounter when collecting pennies is the clipped planchet. As the name suggests, this is an error in which the planchet’s edge is broken on a straight line or in a curved crescent.

A clipped planchet occurs when the punching die, which cuts out planchets, improperly punches the blank metal from which the planchets are made. This often happens when the blank plate isn’t correctly fed into punching hub.

You will get more value for money on pennies with a larger clipped planchet error. But, just how much can you expect? Well, aside from the size of the planchet, other factors such as the coin’s condition play a role in determining the value but all in all you should expect a premium from an uncirculated penny with such an error.

A good example is one 2011-D Lincoln penny graded MS64, which the Great Collections auctioned for an impressive $1030.

 

7. 2011-D MS64 Feeder Finger Lincoln Penny Error

A rare but interesting error you might come across is the feeder finger. This error appears like horizontal scratches on the coin’s surface resulting from the feeder fingers being struck between the die and planchet.

The role of the feeder fingers is to position the planchet in the collar ready for minting. Ideally, the fingers automatically retract from the minting hub after positioning the planchet but sometimes this doesn’t happen.

When the feeder fingers do not retract and are struck between the die and planchet, they end up leaving scratch marks on the coin’s surface, usually on the obverse. This results in a feeder finger error.

A collector at an online auction held in August 2018 paid a whopping $980 for a 2011-D Lincoln penny with a feeder finger error. As a general rule, the larger and more visible the feeder finger scratches the more valuable the error tends to be.

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8. 2011-D MS60 Misaligned Die Lincoln Cent Error

Another popular error on our 2011 penny errors list is the misaligned die. As the name suggests, a misaligned die error occurs when the obverse and reverse dies are out of alignment, which can be due to practical or technical flaws.

When the obverse and reverse dies are aligned, the design on both sides of the coin are equally aligned and centered. On the contrary when there is a misalignment of the dies, you might find that the obverse design is rotated at an angle in relation to the reverse design or vice versa.

When you hold a penny with a misaligned die error in an upright position, you will notice that the reverse and obverse designs are offset.

Heritage Auctions sold such as a penny dated 2011-D with a grade MS60 for a whopping $1115, making this potentially one of the most valuable 2011 pennies to add to your collection.

 

9. 2011-P MS62 Lincoln Penny Annealed Planchet Error

Last but not least on our 2011 penny errors list is the annealed planchet error, which causes the penny to take on a different color other than its usual copper color.

A penny with an annealed planchet error may appear blackish, greyish, purple, orange, yellow or even red. This color change may be due to fluctuations in the heating and cooling process during the planchet-preparation phase.

Due to its unique color, an annealed planchet error can fetch some good money. For example in 2012, a collector paid $980 for a 2011-P Lincoln penny graded MS62 with an annealed planchet error.

 

Summary

Lincoln pennies are quite popular among collectors for their historical and sentimental value. But, these coins are only worth their face value. Fortunately, you can make money collecting penny errors, which as our 2011 penny errors list shows can be worth a fortune. The secret lies in knowing the errors to collect and you will be well on your way to adding high value penny errors to your collection. Good luck building your Lincoln penny connection.