just found out some random pennies from the 1800s are actually worth insane money. like, i'm talking five-figure auction prices crazy.

so apparently the 1856 flying eagle penny is the holy grail - only 634 were made as proofs for congress or something, and one sold for $172k. even in average condition it's worth like $8k. absolutely wild.

then there's the 1864 indian head with an L stamped on the ribbon - that one hit $34k at auction. the 1871 and 1872 versions are also valuable, especially in mint condition where they can go for over $1k each.

what really gets me is the 1873 closed 3 variety. in average condition it's basically worthless, but mint state? $10k. and the 1888/7 overdate penny (where they struck an 8 over a 7) sold for $72k because there's barely any uncirculated examples left.

this makes me wonder - how much was a penny worth in the 1800s when they were actually in circulation versus what collectors pay now? the gap is insane. the key thing is condition matters everything. most old coins you find are beat up, but if you ever stumble on one that actually survived in decent shape, it could genuinely be worth serious money.

anyone else have old coins lying around? might be worth checking what you actually have lol