Rare 2020 Penny Errors Worth Money (With Pictures)

Are you considering adding 2020 penny errors to your collection and curious about which ones are worth money?

Lincoln pennies are popular for their sentimental and historical value. If you know what to look for in a penny worth money, the right picks can add value to your collection. 

Generally, pennies are only worth their face value. So, you should focus on collecting uncirculated 2022 penny errors, which can be worth more than face value depending on the type of error. Luckily, the United States Mint produced billions of 2020-P and 2020-D Lincoln pennies for circulation, making it fairly easy to find uncirculated examples.

We curated this 2020 penny errors list to help you discover some of the most valuable examples to look out for. The good thing is many of these error coins are affordable enough for any collector serious about growing their Lincoln penny collection. 

So, let’s dive in and discover 2020 penny errors worth money.

1. 2020 Lincoln Penny Crying Eye Error 

This 2020 Lincoln penny shows a die crack that appears like tears running from Lincoln’s eyes down his cheek. Die crack errors occur when a crack on the die’s face fills with metal forming a raised line when the die strikes a coin.

Die crack errors typically occur due to worn dies. Given that the Mint produced billions of Lincoln pennies in 2020, the dies probably wore out at some point, making die crack errors fairly common on these coins.

A 2020 Lincoln penny with a crying eye error in circulated condition is worth between $35 and $39. Such a coin might be worth more if you are lucky enough to find an uncirculated example. 

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2. 2020 P Lincoln Penny With Die Crack, Retained Cud, and Inner Die Break Error

This coin has multiple but related errors including a die crack, inner die break, and retained cud error. An inner die break error occurs when a thick piece of metal breaks off the die’s interior surface, leaving a hole. This error appears like a shapeless lump, typically at the center of the coin.

This coin also features a retained cud error, which occurs when a piece of metal breaks off the edge of the anvil die but remains in place instead of falling off. 

This 2020 P penny was struck by a die with multiple cracks. The die crack in particular extends vertically from the top of Lincoln’s head toward the edge of the rim.

This is certainly a unique error coin. In circulated condition, this 2020 P Lincoln penny error will fetch up to $10 but the price may go as high as $50 for an uncirculated specimen.

 

3. 2020 Lincoln Penny With Front and Back Strike-Through 

Strike-through errors are fairly common among Lincoln pennies, including those struck in 2020. This type of error occurs when an object gets between the die and the coin during the striking process. This results in the object leaving its impression on the coin.

In the case of this 2020 Lincoln penny, the strike-through error appears on the front and back of the coin. Interestingly, the object that got caught between the dies left an impression on both sides of the coin.

This impression can mostly be seen on Lincoln’s shoulders and generally, the lower part of his profile. Anything from a speck of wood, dust, or debris could have been caught between the die and coin, resulting in this strike-through error. 

This 2020 penny with a strike-through error on the front and back is quite valuable and has previously been sold for an impressive $200.

 

4. 2020 Lincoln Penny With Die Clash Error

A die-cash error occurs when the anvil and hammer hit each other without a planchet between them. This can cause damage, with one of the dies leaving its impression on the other. When a planchet is struck by the damaged dies, it receives a distorted impression.

On this 2020 Lincoln penny, a subtle impression of the shield on the reverse is seen on the obverse. If you look closely at Lincoln’s profile, you will see the shield’s horizontal lines. This means that when the dies clashed, the image on the hammer die was impressed on the anvil die.

A circulated example of a 2020 penny with a die clash error was sold for $50. An uncirculated specimen might sell for more, so be on the lookout for such an error– it might be worth more than face value and a worthwhile addition to your collection.

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5. 2020 Penny With a Die Break and Broad-struck Error 

This 2020 penny spots two distinct errors: a die break and a broadstruck error. Die breaks are quite common among Lincoln pennies and occur when a crack on the surface of the die fills in with metal and appears like a raised line on the coin. In this case, the die break appears on Lincoln’s cheek and nose. 

The other error seen on this coin is a broadstruck, which occurs when a coin is struck outside of the collar. The collar is the metal that holds and retains the coin’s diameter. When struck outside the collar, the coin’s diameter may appear enlarged.

While die breaks are common, broadstruck errors aren’t; you should consider yourself lucky to come across a coin with such a prominent error. 

One circulated 2020 penny with both a die break and broadstruck error was sold for an impressive $140.

 

6. 2020 Lincoln Penny Misaligned Error and Doubled Die

A misaligned penny is yet another scarce error, which makes for an excellent addition to your Lincoln collection. 

This error occurs when the anvil and hammer die are not properly lined up, causing the design on the obverse to be misaligned with the one on the reverse when the coin is placed upright.

In the case of this 2020 penny error, while the obverse shows Lincoln’s profile is upright, the reverse shows the shield turned at a 90-degree angle. 

Aside from the peculiar misaligned error, this coin also supports a doubled die error on the obverse and reverse. This error occurs when the die strikes the lettering on the coin more than once at slightly different angles each time, resulting in these letters appearing doubled. 

For example, when you look at this 2020 Lincoln penny, you will notice a doubling in the phrase LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST. The year 2020 and the mint mark D also show some doubling.

This penny, with its misaligned and doubled die error sold for a whopping $340. This is certainly an error worth looking out for, even better if found in an uncirculated condition.

 

7. 2020 Lincoln Shield Penny Broad-strike Off Center Error 

An off-center error occurs when one of the dies is misaligned, causing the design to appear off the coin’s center. Often, this misalignment results in the coin also being struck outside of its collar, resulting in a broad-strike error. 

On this 2020 penny error, the off-center error is seen on the reverse, with the shield appearing more toward the right. There is also a broad-struck error, which causes the penny’s diameter to appear enlarged.

The coin would be even more desirable if it were uncirculated. The value of an off-center error depends on the percentage of “off-ness”; the greater the percentage, the more valuable the error. 

 A 2020 penny error with a 5% off-center sold for $150.

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8. 2020 Lincoln Assassination Penny With A Die Break Error

This 2020 penny is aptly named a Lincoln ‘assassination penny’ because it features a die break running from the rim through to the back of Lincoln’s head and out through his eye.

Die breaks are some of the most common errors but their placement can make some coins more valuable than others. This is the case with this coin where the die break appears like a bullet’s trajectory. 

Due to the unique placement of the die break, this 2020 penny error attracted a selling price of $2,499. If you come across a Lincoln penny with such an interesting error, you’ll find it might be worth hundreds or even thousands depending on its condition.

 

9. 2020 Penny With Planchet and Brockage Error

This 2020 Lincoln penny spots some rare and interesting errors that make it a worthwhile addition to your collection.

One of the errors is a planchet error, which appears as a flaky, weak spot on the coin. This error occurs during the planchet preparation phase when impurities get trapped under the metal, creating a weak spot that is amplified with time. After a while, the weak spot may appear like a raised, formless bump on the coin’s surface.

The other error seen on this 2020 Lincoln cent is a brockage, which occurs when an already minted coin sticks to the die surface instead of falling off. This coin then leaves an impression of its reverse or obverse design on the incoming blank planchet. A close look at this Lincoln penny shows a subtle imprint of what looks like another coin’s design.

A circulated 2020 penny with a planchet and brockage error sold for $35.

 

Summary

Lincoln pennies are a favorite among collectors and never run out of demand. Although circulated pennies are only worth their face value, rare errors can be worth a fortune, especially if you are lucky enough to find uncirculated specimens. This 2020 penny errors list opens up a door of possibilities when it comes to finding Lincoln pennies worth money. Next time you come across a Lincoln penny, look at it closely; it might be a rare coin worth hundreds or thousands of dollars.