Rare 2016 Penny Errors Worth Money (Full List with Pictures)

A 2016-D Lincoln penny with a misplaced mint mark error sold at GreatCollections in 2020 for $415. The complete 2016 penny error list covers 12 distinct mint mistakes, with values running from $5 BIE die cracks to three-figure striking errors and a rare mint mark anomaly. Philadelphia and Denver together produced nearly 12 billion pennies that year — the Lincoln Shield design’s highest-volume run — so errors are out there in quantity. Here’s every documented error, sorted by value, with auction records and identification tips.

1. 2016 Penny BIE Die Crack Error (Up to $25)

The BIE error is a Lincoln cent specialty. A vertical die crack forms between the “B” and “E” in LIBERTY, and when metal fills the crack during striking, the raised line on the finished coin looks exactly like a capital letter “I” — turning LIBERTY into “BLIBERTY.”

This isn’t a repunched letter or a design variety. It’s a positioned die crack that happens to mimic a letter, which is why it gets its own name instead of being filed under generic die cracks. The BIE has been documented across decades of Lincoln cents, and 2016 examples exist from both Philadelphia and Denver. Completeness of the “I” shape matters — a full, clean vertical bar is more collectible than a partial or wispy crack.

Value: No 2016 BIE has sold as a major auction headline lot. Full, well-formed BIE errors on uncirculated 2016 pennies trade for $10–$25 on eBay and collector forums. Partial or faint examples bring $5–$10. The market is casual — these are inexpensive variety coins that Lincoln cent specialists pick up opportunistically rather than aggressively bidding on. A PCGS or NGC submission would cost more than the coin is worth.

How to Identify: Look at LIBERTY on the obverse, specifically the gap between the “B” and the “E.” A BIE error shows a raised vertical line connecting the baseline to the top of the letters, resembling an uppercase “I.”

Use a 5x loupe. The line should be raised — run your fingernail across it and you’ll feel it catch upward. It should have the same luster as the surrounding coin since it formed during striking.

Don’t confuse with a random scratch between the letters. Scratches are recessed and show metal displacement. The BIE is raised and clean-edged. Also check that it’s truly vertical and centered between B and E — off-position cracks in LIBERTY exist but don’t qualify as BIE varieties. Fastest confirmation: raised vertical bar between B and E that matches the coin’s luster.

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2. 2016 Penny Struck Through Grease Error (Up to $30)

A struck-through error happens when foreign material gets trapped between the die and planchet during striking. Grease — press lubricant pooling in the die’s recessed areas — is the most common culprit on modern Lincoln cents.

The result is a smooth, blank patch where design detail should be. On 2016 pennies, grease fills most often affect Lincoln’s hair detail on the obverse or the horizontal lines of the Union Shield on the reverse. Small grease fills are extremely common on zinc pennies because the softer planchet material doesn’t push through residual lubricant as effectively as harder alloys. Large fills wiping out an entire word or major section of Lincoln’s portrait are far less common.

Value: No specific 2016 penny grease strike-through has sold as a major auction lot. Small affected areas on circulated coins trade for $5–$10 on eBay. Larger fills covering significant design elements on uncirculated coins push $15–$30. The market is thin — grease fills are the participation trophies of error collecting. Only dramatic examples covering a large portion of the design attract meaningful buyer interest.

How to Identify: Look for a localized area where the design appears weak, mushy, or entirely absent — a smooth blank zone surrounded by otherwise normal detail. The boundaries should be relatively sharp, not a gradual fade.

Don’t confuse with circulation wear. Strike-throughs affect a specific localized area while wear spreads evenly across all high points. On the Shield reverse, check the horizontal lines — grease fills commonly flatten one or more lines while leaving adjacent ones sharp. On the obverse, Lincoln’s hair above the ear is the usual weak spot.

The blank area should be featureless and smooth, not rough or textured. Fastest confirmation: sharply defined smooth zone surrounded by normal strike quality.

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3. 2016 Penny Doubled Die Error (Up to $80)

A doubled die occurs when the hub impresses its design onto the working die at slightly different positions during manufacturing. Every coin struck by that die inherits the same overlapping design — it’s baked into the die, not a one-off press event.

On 2016 pennies, documented DDO varieties show doubling on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, the date digits, and Lincoln’s eye and bowtie. DDR varieties show doubling on the Union Shield’s horizontal lines and column details, as well as the E PLURIBUS UNUM inscription. The doubling on 2016 examples tends to be minor — Class VIII tilted hub varieties requiring magnification rather than the dramatic spread visible to the naked eye on classic 1955 or 1972 doubled dies.

Value: In 2020, a 2016-P penny graded MS60 with doubling on both the obverse and reverse sold at an online auction for $80. Minor doubled dies on circulated 2016 pennies trade for $25–$50. Strong doubling visible under low magnification on uncirculated coins pushes toward $60–$80. The DDO and DDR command similar prices — what matters is the doubling’s visibility, not which side it appears on.

How to Identify: Use at least 10x magnification. On the obverse, check LIBERTY letter by letter, the date “2016” digit by digit, and Lincoln’s eye and bowtie for secondary outlines. On the reverse, examine the Shield’s horizontal lines and E PLURIBUS UNUM for overlapping impressions.

True hub doubling shows rounded, separated secondary images with depth and dimension. The critical trap is machine doubling — extremely common on 2016 zinc pennies — which creates flat, shelf-like shadows pushed uniformly to one side of all raised elements.

Machine doubling affects everything in the same direction. A genuine doubled die shows doubling at specific diagnostic points only, not uniformly across the entire design. Compare against known 2016 DDO/DDR variety listings. Fastest confirmation: rounded secondary images with depth at known diagnostic points, not flat uniform shadows.

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4. 2016 Penny Rim Cud Error (Up to $85)

A rim cud forms when a chunk of the die’s edge breaks away completely. Metal flows into the void during striking and produces a raised blob along the coin’s rim.

On 2016 pennies, cuds have been documented at various positions around both obverse and reverse rims. Size ranges from small nubs to large lumps that encroach on nearby letters. Cuds that eat into LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, or the date attract the most attention. The zinc composition of modern pennies means die wear progresses faster than on harder alloys, so cuds develop more frequently — though most are caught before too many coins are struck.

Value: In 2017, Heritage Auctions sold a 2016-D penny graded MS62 with a rim cud error for $85. Small cuds on circulated pennies trade for $10–$30. Large cuds obscuring nearby design elements push $40–$85 in uncirculated grades. The combination of cud size, location relative to prominent design elements, and overall grade determines where the price lands.

How to Identify: Run your finger along the rim. A cud feels like a raised bump that disrupts the otherwise smooth edge. Genuine cuds have a flat, smooth top — they formed under striking pressure.

Post-mint damage looks rough and irregular. Check the design elements near the cud. Letters or portrait features next to the break often appear weakened or distorted because the broken die couldn’t apply full pressure in that zone.

Look at the opposite side directly behind the cud. A slight depression or weakness in the reverse design at the corresponding position helps confirm it. Don’t confuse with contact marks from other coins, which create random dings without any weakened design nearby. Fastest confirmation: smooth flat-topped bump at the rim with weakened design elements adjacent.

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5. 2016 Penny Lamination Error (Up to $100)

Lamination errors originate in the planchet itself. When impurities, gas pockets, or moisture contaminate the metal during strip manufacturing, the finished planchet develops internal weaknesses that cause the surface to crack, peel, or flake after striking.

Modern zinc pennies are especially prone to lamination because the zinc core is softer and more reactive than the copper-nickel alloys used in dimes, nickels, and quarters. Moisture trapped between the copper plating and zinc core accelerates delamination. The result is visible peeling, bubbling, or missing flakes on the coin’s surface — sometimes on both sides simultaneously. This particular 2016 example showed lamination damage on both obverse and reverse, which doubled its appeal.

Value: A 2016-P penny graded MS64 with lamination errors on both obverse and reverse sold on eBay for $100. Single-side lamination on circulated pennies trades for $15–$40. Dual-side lamination on uncirculated coins pushes $50–$100. Large, dramatic peels or flaps with the metal still attached — rather than small missing chips — bring higher prices because the visual drama is immediately obvious.

How to Identify: Look for areas where the surface appears to be peeling, bubbling, or flaking away. The affected area may show a thin metal flap lifting from the surface, or a bare patch where material has separated.

Examine the exposed area underneath. On a genuine lamination, the exposed metal looks rough and fibrous — the interior of the planchet was never meant to be a striking surface.

Don’t confuse with environmental damage from burial or chemical exposure, which creates uniform corrosion. Lamination peels follow internal planchet structure and appear random, not pattern-based. Also distinguish from post-mint zinc rot, which eats through the copper plating and attacks the zinc core — zinc rot shows white or gray corrosion products. Fastest confirmation: metal actively peeling or separated in a flap, with rough fibrous interior visible underneath.

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6. 2016 Penny Missing Copper Plating Error (Up to $110)

Lincoln pennies since 1982 are copper-plated zinc — a zinc core with a thin copper skin bonded during planchet manufacturing. When the plating doesn’t adhere properly, one or both sides of the coin end up with exposed zinc instead of the familiar copper color.

The result is a coin that’s copper on one side and silver-gray on the other — visually striking without any magnification. On this 2016-P example, the missing plating exposed the zinc core on one full face. The silvery appearance against the standard copper makes these immediately eye-catching in a handful of change. Unlike acid-stripped fakes, genuine missing plating errors show natural transitions at the boundary between plated and unplated areas.

Value: In 2019, Heritage Auctions sold a 2016-P penny graded MS63 with a missing copper plating error for $110. Circulated examples with partial plating loss trade for $20–$50. Full-side missing plating on uncirculated coins pushes $75–$110. The greater the area of exposed zinc and the higher the grade, the more the coin brings. Partial spots of missing plating on worn coins barely register with collectors.

How to Identify: Color is the giveaway. One or both sides will appear silver-gray instead of copper. The exposed zinc core has a distinctly different tone from the normal copper surface.

Weigh it. A standard penny is 2.50 grams. A missing plating penny will be slightly lighter — roughly 2.40–2.45 grams — because the copper skin has mass. The difference is small, so use a scale accurate to 0.01g.

The critical distinction is from acid-treated pennies. On genuine missing plating errors, the transition between plated and unplated areas is gradual and natural-looking. Acid-stripped coins show sharp, uniform boundaries and often retain full design detail because the plating was removed after striking. Also check for chemical residue or pitting from acid damage. Fastest confirmation: silver-gray surface with natural plating transitions and weight slightly below 2.50 grams.

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7. 2016 Penny Off-Center Strike Error (Up to $125)

Off-center strikes happen when the planchet isn’t seated properly in the striking chamber. The die comes down, but the blank has shifted — only part of it catches the full impression.

The result is a crescent of smooth, unstruck metal on one side with the design pushed toward the opposite edge. On 2016 pennies, even minor off-center strikes are easy to spot because Lincoln’s portrait and the Shield reverse have clean, symmetrical designs that make any misalignment obvious. Percentage matters — a 5% shift barely registers, while a 40% off-center with a readable “2016” is a keeper.

Value: In 2017, Heritage Auctions sold a 2016-P penny graded MS65 with a 15% off-center strike for $125. Minor off-center strikes under 10% trade for $5–$30. Dramatic 30–50% off-centers with visible dates push $50–$125. Without a readable date, even impressive off-centers lose most of their value since the buyer can’t confirm the year. The 15% on this Heritage example was modest, but the MS65 grade carried the price.

How to Identify: Look for a clean crescent of blank, featureless metal on one side. The design will be shifted toward the opposite edge, with part of the lettering or portrait cut off. Both obverse and reverse shift the same direction.

Don’t confuse with a Misaligned Die (MAD) error, which shows the complete design with uneven rim width — nothing missing. An off-center always has blank planchet showing.

The blank area should be completely smooth. Post-mint damage from machinery creates uneven distortion with visible scratches. Check whether “2016” is readable — date visibility is the biggest value factor on any off-center penny. Fastest confirmation: clean blank crescent with design clearly shifted and partially missing.

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8. 2016 Penny Die Crack Error (Up to $130)

Die cracks form when the steel die fractures from repeated stress and heat cycles. Metal fills the fracture and transfers onto each coin as a thin raised line across the surface.

With nearly 12 billion pennies struck in 2016, die fatigue was guaranteed. The soft zinc planchets are gentler on dies than harder alloys, but the sheer volume of strikes eventually cracks even well-maintained tooling. Cracks can run in any direction on either side. On the Shield reverse, cracks crossing the horizontal lines create distinctive visual patterns because they cut perpendicular to the design elements. Cracks through Lincoln’s face on the obverse command the highest premiums.

Value: In 2019, a 2016-D penny graded MS65 with a die crack across the reverse sold at an online auction for $130. Small peripheral cracks add $5–$20. Dramatic cracks through major design elements on uncirculated coins reach $50–$130. Cracks on both obverse and reverse from the same die pair push prices further. Note that BIE errors — die cracks between B and E in LIBERTY — are categorized separately and listed earlier in this article.

How to Identify: Look for thin, raised lines running across the coin’s surface. Die cracks sit above the metal, not into it. Run your fingernail perpendicular across a suspected line — it should catch upward.

Use a loupe to trace the full length. Die cracks follow irregular paths, not straight lines. Check both sides — dual-sided cracks bring higher prices.

If the crack reaches the rim and a chunk of the die has broken away leaving a raised blob, that’s a cud error, listed separately above. Don’t confuse with scratches, which cut into the surface and show metal displacement. Die cracks are raised with clean, consistent edges. Fastest confirmation: raised irregular line you can feel with a fingernail.

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9. 2016 Penny Die Clash Error (Up to $160)

A die clash occurs when the obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them. The impact transfers a mirror image of each die’s design onto the opposing die face.

Subsequent coins carry ghost images. On 2016 pennies, the most common pattern is the Shield design ghosting through Lincoln’s field on the obverse, or Lincoln’s profile appearing faintly behind the Shield on the reverse. The Shield’s strong horizontal lines make clash marks particularly recognizable — parallel ghost lines in the obverse field that clearly don’t belong to Lincoln’s portrait are the tell.

Value: In 2020, a 2016-P penny graded MS64 with a die clash error sold at an online auction for $160. Circulated examples with visible clash marks trade for $25–$75. The strength of the ghost image drives the price — a bold Shield outline ghosting through Lincoln’s face is worth significantly more than faint lines requiring 20x magnification. Multiple clash impressions from the same die pair create bolder ghosts and push values higher.

How to Identify: Look for faint design elements that don’t belong on that side of the coin. The Shield’s horizontal lines ghosting in the obverse field behind Lincoln, or Lincoln’s jawline curving across the reverse Shield, are the most common patterns.

The ghost images are incuse (sunken), not raised — they’re the inverse of the opposing die’s relief. Use angled lighting and tilt the coin slowly. Clash marks often only appear at specific light angles.

Don’t confuse with strike-throughs, which create blank areas without recognizable design. A clash produces an identifiable reversed mirror image. The Shield’s grid pattern makes 2016 penny clashes easier to spot than on pre-2010 Memorial reverse designs. Fastest confirmation: recognizable reversed ghost of the opposite side’s design under angled light.

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10. 2016 Penny Broad Struck Error (Up to $200)

A broad strike happens when the retaining collar fails or is absent during striking. Without the collar containing the metal, the planchet spreads outward under pressure.

The coin comes out visibly wider than a standard penny, with weak or absent rim definition. Since Lincoln pennies have a plain edge — no reeding — you can’t use edge texture as a diagnostic the way you would with dimes or quarters. The key tells are expanded diameter and a flattened, weakened rim. Despite the larger size, broad struck pennies retain full design detail on both faces, just slightly stretched. That’s what separates them from off-center errors, where parts of the design go missing.

Value: In 2017, Heritage Auctions sold a 2016-P penny graded MS62 with a broad struck error for $200. Minor broadstrikes with slight expansion trade for $30–$75. Dramatic examples significantly wider than 19.05mm push $100–$200 in uncirculated grades. Grade and visual impact together determine the price — a barely expanded circulated coin barely registers with buyers.

How to Identify: Measure the diameter. A standard penny is 19.05mm. A broad struck penny will be noticeably wider — sometimes 20–21mm or more. Use calipers for precision.

Check the rim. Normal pennies have a distinct raised collar edge. Broad strikes show a weak, flattened rim or no rim at all — the field flows to the edge without a clear boundary.

Design on both sides should be complete. If parts are missing, it’s an off-center error instead. Weigh it: should still be 2.50 grams since the same planchet was used. Watch for coins flattened by machinery or vises — those show uneven spreading, scratches, and damaged detail. A genuine broadstrike expands symmetrically and retains sharp features. Fastest confirmation: diameter over 19.05mm, weakened rim, complete design, correct weight.

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11. 2016 Penny Partial Collar Error (Up to $315)

A partial collar strike happens when the planchet sits tilted or partially above the collar during striking. The portion inside the collar gets contained normally; the portion above expands freely.

The result is a visible “step” or shelf around part of the coin’s edge. On pennies — which have a plain edge — the step shows as a ring-like ridge or ledge partway around the circumference rather than the reeded-to-smooth transition you’d see on dimes or quarters. From the side, the coin looks like it has a tiny staircase running along the edge. Dramatic partial collars on pennies are less common than on reeded-edge coins because the plain edge makes mild examples harder to detect.

Value: In 2019, GreatCollections auctioned a 2016-D penny graded MS60 with a partial collar error for $315. That’s high for a penny — the dramatic visual effect drove the price. Minor partial collars with barely visible steps trade for $15–$50. Dramatic steps visible to the naked eye on uncirculated coins push $100–$315. The MS60 grade on this example was modest; the error severity carried the price.

How to Identify: Examine the coin from the edge. Look for a distinct step or ridge — a raised shelf where the collared portion meets the expanded portion. The step may appear on a small arc or wrap around a larger section.

Use calipers to measure at multiple points. The expanded section will exceed 19.05mm while the collared section stays normal. This dimensional difference on a single coin is the defining feature.

A broadstrike has uniform expansion all the way around with no step. A partial collar has both contained and expanded sections on the same coin. Post-mint damage from dryers or machines creates uneven distortion with scratches. The partial collar step is clean and consistent. Fastest confirmation: view edge-on and look for the step between contained and expanded sections.

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12. 2016 Penny Misplaced Mint Mark Error (Up to $415)

A misplaced mint mark occurs when the “D” or “P” mint mark punch lands in the wrong position on the die. The standard location on Lincoln Shield pennies is directly below the date. When the mint mark appears elsewhere — shifted, tilted, or in a completely wrong location — the resulting error is immediately obvious.

By 2016, mint mark application was almost entirely automated, which makes misplaced examples genuinely rare on modern coins. The automation was supposed to eliminate exactly this kind of mistake. When one slips through, it represents a failure of the quality controls that work correctly on billions of other coins. This specific 2016-D example showed the “D” mint mark placed noticeably off its intended position, confirmed by GreatCollections and graded by a major service.

Value: In 2020, GreatCollections auctioned a 2016-D penny graded MS60 with a misplaced mint mark error for $415 — the highest confirmed price for any 2016 penny error. Misplaced mint marks on modern Lincoln cents generally range from $100–$500 depending on how far off-position the mark landed and the coin’s grade. The rarity of the error on an automated-production coin drove the premium well above what a typical modern cent error brings.

How to Identify: Examine the area below the date on the obverse. The “D” mint mark should sit centered directly beneath the last digit of “2016.” A misplaced mint mark will appear shifted — too far left, right, up, or tilted at an unusual angle.

Use at least 10x magnification to confirm the displacement. Compare against a normal 2016-D penny side by side. The offset should be obvious once you have a reference point.

Don’t confuse with a Re-Punched Mint Mark (RPM), where the mint mark appears doubled in place — an RPM shows two overlapping impressions at nearly the same position. A misplaced mint mark shows a single clear impression in the wrong location entirely. Also rule out post-mint damage that may have shifted the coin’s surface. The mint mark should sit at a consistent depth with normal luster. Fastest confirmation: single clear mint mark noticeably off-position from the standard below-date placement, confirmed by comparison with a normal example.

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Conclusion

The 2016 penny error spectrum runs from $5 BIE cracks and grease fills at the low end to a $415 misplaced mint mark that tops the year’s auction records. The middle tier — broad strikes, die clashes, partial collars — fills out a solid $100–$315 range with documentation from Heritage Auctions and GreatCollections. The zinc composition makes lamination and missing plating errors more common on pennies than on other denominations, so those are worth checking first. A digital scale accurate to 0.01g, a 10x loupe, and a pair of calipers cover identification basics for all 12 error types listed here.