8 Modern Coins Already Worth Way More Than Face Value

0 With prices still climbing on everyday essentials, many folks are looking for ways to earn extra income. The answer might be in your spare change jar. It's not just old, vintage coins that can be worth big bucks to collectors. There are plenty of modern coins that are worth well more than the face value, so pop out that pocket change and see if you've got one of these coins waiting to help boost your finances.

Learn which coinage is worth a lot of money (up to $50,000!) to collectors and can still be found in circulation.

Editor's note: Market estimated prices are from eBay at the time each item was posted, unless otherwise stated.

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Experts are still debating how the Wisconsin quarter got an extra leaf and precisely how much the coins are worth, but there are two potential "errors" that could make this modern coin worth well more than a quarter of a dollar. The corn portrayed on the coin should only have one leaf on the left side, but some have the appearance of a double leaf. If your quarter shows an additional low leaf or high leaf, then you've got a rare coin worth a couple of hundred bucks.

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In 2005, special Westward Journey Nickels were minted to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Of course, tribute had to be paid to the Buffalo Nickel, but a flaw left some pieces quite valuable compared to the expected five cents. A die suffered metal fatigue, and a break formed in it that left the bison appearing to be speared, and these nickels increase in value depending on condition.

Numismatic legend says a spot of grease on the die caused this humorous minting variant on Kansas State Quarters in 2005. The grease just happened to be over the letter "T", causing the coins to read "In God We Rust". Most grease-filled die errors aren't worth much, but the value on this particular mistake has gone up because it's funny.

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Dollar coins featuring U.S. presidents began being minted in 2007, and for some reason, they have an unusually high error rate. Upside-down lettering, missing or blurry letters, and design changes that still show the original elements are common errors that drive the price of these collectible coins into the hundreds of dollars. If you stashed a few dollar coins away, check over them carefully to see if you've got any worth more than a dollar.

You might need a magnifying glass to spot the "ghost tree" error created from a doubled die minting, but some Minnesota Quarters have an additional tree that can be faintly seen immediately to the right of the fourth primary spruce tree on the right of the state outline. More than 200 of these anomalies have been professionally graded, so it might be time to squint at your state quarters and see if you have any that could earn you some extra spending money.

Funny errors are the best errors, and an extra bit of metal got into the reverse die when some of the 2006 Nevada Quarters were being minted, resulting in the horse on the far right giving the appearance of defecating. It's not worth a lot yet, but it's definitely worth more than a quarter of a dollar now and could increase in value over time.

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Cheerios cereal partnered with the United States Mint in 2000 to raise awareness of the Sacagawea Dollar, and placed 5,500 specially minted coins in cereal boxes. There were 10 million boxes of Cheerios included in this promotion, and not all of them have surfaced. The rare coins are distinguished by the tail feather details, and only about 70 have come to the collectible market. If you've got a "Cheerio Dollar," definitely check out that bird's butt to see if you've been sitting on big bucks.

In coinage, a "mule" is when a coin is produced from two dies that were never meant to be paired. In this case, some Sacagawea coins were accidentally struck with a Washington quarter on the obverse (specifically the 50 State quarters).

If you love the Sacagawea coins (and who doesn't), check your stash to see if any have Washington's profile instead of the Native American woman honored on the dollar coin. There are about 20 known examples, according to PCGS, but there could be more tucked away in unopened rolls because these coins are often saved rather than circulated as currency.

Many of the 21st-century U.S. coins that have increased in value beyond face value are often set aside by collectors rather than spent, so fewer of them end up in everyday change. That can make it difficult to make a lucky find in your coin jar, but not impossible. Checking your coins for rarities isn't a guaranteed way to build your wealth, but it might put some extra spending money in your pocket.

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