A rare 1993-D mule error — struck with a Roosevelt dime reverse die — sold for $51,750 at Heritage Auctions. Regular MS69 Red examples have fetched up to $4,600. Most circulated 1993 pennies are worth one cent, but the right combination of mint, condition, and error variety can make yours a genuine find. Use the tools below to check yours in seconds.
The 1993-D Close AM is the most sought-after regular variety from this year. Check the four diagnostic points below to see if your coin matches.
A and M in AMERICA have a clear, visible gap. Under a 5× loupe, you can easily fit a line of white space between the two letters. This is how virtually all 1993 pennies look — both Philadelphia and Denver issues.
A and M in AMERICA nearly touch or share only a tiny hairline gap. This is caused by a proof reverse die (RDV-006) being used on business-strike coins. Only found on Denver (D) mint coins — check your mint mark first.
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The 1993 Lincoln cent has five collector-documented varieties and errors worth knowing. Three involve die-level mistakes, one is a catastrophic production error, and one requires a sharp eye and a loupe. The cards below cover each in detail — ranked from the all-time legend down to the cherrypicker's favorite.
Rarest
The 1993-D mule error stands as the most spectacular modern mint mistake on a Lincoln cent. At the Denver Mint, a Roosevelt dime reverse die was accidentally paired with a Lincoln penny obverse die — producing a coin that shows Lincoln's portrait on one side and the dime's iconic torch-and-branches design on the other. This die pairing should be physically impossible given the different collar and planchet sizes, making its existence a genuine production anomaly.
Visually, the reverse is unmistakable: instead of the Lincoln Memorial, you see the Roosevelt dime's flame torch flanked by an olive branch and an oak branch. The overall appearance is deeply wrong in a way visible to the naked eye. The coin's surfaces will not align correctly with standard Lincoln cent die geometry, adding further authentication markers visible to specialists.
The single confirmed example was graded PCGS MS65 Red, indicating the coin survived in exceptional condition despite its extraordinary origin. Collector demand for unique mule errors is ferocious — the coin realized $51,750 at Heritage Auctions in 2010. Even heavily worn examples, should they surface, would attract five-figure bids based on the error's singularity alone.
Most Famous
The 1993-D Close AM is the most actively hunted Lincoln cent variety from the 1990s. It occurred when a proof reverse die (designated RDV-006, designed for collector proof sets) was accidentally used during business-strike production at the Denver Mint. Proof dies are prepared and hubbed differently from business-strike dies, producing subtly sharper lettering and — most importantly — the Close AM spacing that defines proof coinage of this era.
Identifying the Close AM requires looking at the reverse word AMERICA under at least 5× magnification. On a standard 1993-D penny, the letter A and the letter M have a distinct, clearly visible gap between them — the Wide AM configuration. On the Close AM variety, those two letters nearly touch, with only the thinnest line of space visible or none at all. The difference is reliable and consistent across all known examples of this variety.
Value for the Close AM scales sharply with grade and Red designation. Circulated examples with wear start around $50 for entry-level collectors. Uncirculated examples in MS63 bring $100–$150, while pristine MS65 Red examples have sold for $150–$250 or more at specialist auctions. The variety remains undervalued relative to its scarcity because many examples still sit undetected in dealer stock.
Most Valuable (errors)
Doubled Die Obverse errors on 1993 Lincoln cents result from a die that was hubbed more than once with slight misalignment between impressions. During the die manufacturing process, the working hub is pressed into the working die under enormous pressure; if the die shifts between impressions, all subsequent coins struck from that die will show doubling on the obverse design elements. The 1993 DDO varieties are classified as minor — they require magnification to see clearly, unlike the dramatic 1955 or 1972 doubled dies.
Look for doubling in the word LIBERTY on the obverse, particularly in the letters L, I, B, and E. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST may also show secondary impressions. Under a 10× loupe, affected letters appear to have a raised shadow or shelf on one side rather than crisp, single-edge definition. Machine doubling (a common lookalike) appears flat and shelf-like without the rounded secondary element that characterizes true hub doubling.
Value depends heavily on the severity of doubling and the coin's grade and color. Minor DDO varieties with subtle doubling in MS63 RD bring $20–$50. More pronounced examples in gem grades can reach $100–$150 among variety specialists. Because the 1993 DDO varieties are not listed in mainstream PCGS or NGC price guides, authentication by a specialist is advisable before submitting for grading.
Best Kept Secret
Off-center strikes occur when a planchet fails to seat properly in the press collar before the dies close, causing the design to be impressed off the center of the coin. The result is a crescent of unstruck, blank planchet visible at one edge while the opposite side shows the full or nearly full design. These errors occur sporadically throughout any mint's production run and are not tied to a specific die or date — they are purely mechanical mishaps caught (or missed) during production quality control.
Severity is measured as a percentage of the design that is off-center. A 5% off-center shows minimal shift — barely visible without measurement. A 25% off-center is clearly visible with a meaningful crescent of blank metal. A 50% off-center leaves only half the design, though the date and mint mark may still be readable. Collectors and dealers place the highest value on examples with 20–50% misalignment where the date and mint mark remain fully legible, since those details confirm the coin's identity.
For 1993 pennies, minor 5–10% off-center strikes bring $5–$15 with minimal collector interest. The sweet spot — 15–25% off-center with a full readable date — fetches $15–$30. Dramatic examples at 50% off-center with a clear date and D mint mark can reach $50–$100 or more depending on eye appeal and surface quality. The D mint mark adds modest extra interest given the Close AM and mule error connection to that facility.
Cherrypicker's Pick
BIE errors are a beloved category of Lincoln cent die crack varieties named for the raised line that appears between the letters B and E in the word LIBERTY on the obverse. When a working die develops a crack in that specific location, subsequent strikes raise a thin metallic fin of copper-plating that resembles the letter I, creating the illusion that the word reads "BIERTY." These cracks typically develop after extensive die use as the steel fatigues under repeated striking pressure, meaning they appear on coins struck later in the die's production life.
The BIE designation is casual numismatic shorthand, not an official PCGS or NGC variety designation. Under a 5× loupe, the "I" appears as a raised, slightly curved or straight line between B and E. It may be thin and hairlike in early stages or broad and dramatic in advanced die states. The crack may also extend into adjacent areas of the field or connect to other crack lines, adding visual interest. Identifying a BIE on a 1993 penny is straightforward — the raised letter I where none should be is unmistakable.
These errors carry modest but consistent collector premiums, largely because they are visually obvious, clearly explained to non-specialists, and affordable. A basic BIE on a circulated 1993 penny brings $3–$10 depending on the crack's size and the coin's overall appeal. Uncirculated examples in MS63 or better with a prominent BIE can fetch $10–$25 among Lincoln cent specialists who appreciate die-state collecting. The error is far more common than the Close AM but makes an excellent entry point for new error collectors.
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Get My Error Coin Value →The table below covers all major varieties and conditions. For a deeper look at grading and identifying which column your coin falls into, the in-depth 1993 penny identification guide and value breakdown provides photo examples of each grade tier. Highlighted rows indicate the signature Close AM variety (gold) and the rarest mule error (orange).
| Variety | Worn / Circ. | AU | Unc. (MS63–65 RD) | Gem (MS67 RD+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 (P) — No Mint Mark | Face value | $1–$2 | $1–$12 | $25–$3,375+ |
| 1993-D — Denver | Face value | $1–$2 | $1–$10 | $22–$4,600+ |
| 1993-S — Proof (PR65 DCAM) | N/A | N/A | $3–$8 (PR65) | $18–$650 (PR70) |
| 1993-D Close AM ⭐ | $50–$100 | $100–$150 | $150–$250 | $250–$500+ |
| 1993 DDO (Doubled Die Obv.) | $20–$40 | $40–$75 | $75–$100 | $100–$150+ |
| 1993 Off-Center Strike (25%+) | $15–$30 | $30–$60 | $50–$100 | Varies |
| 1993-D Mule Error 🔥 | $20,000 – $51,750 (single known example, PCGS MS65 RD) | |||
⭐ = Signature Close AM variety | 🔥 = Rarest variety | All RD (Red) designation unless noted. Circulated examples of regular strikes are worth face value only. Values based on PCGS/NGC auction data.
🪙 CoinKnow lets you scan your 1993 penny with your phone camera and cross-check its color designation and grade estimate against certified auction results in seconds — a coin identifier and value app.
Three mints produced 1993 Lincoln cents. The combined business-strike total exceeds 12 billion — making circulated examples extremely common — but the copper-plated zinc composition means pristine survivors are rarer than the raw mintage suggests.
| Mint | Mint Mark | Mintage | Type | Survival Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | None | 5,684,705,000 | Business Strike | ~37% estimated survival; gem RD examples extremely scarce |
| Denver | D | 6,426,650,571 | Business Strike | ~33% estimated survival; host to Close AM and mule error |
| San Francisco | S | 3,394,792 | Proof Only | ~86% survival; most in PR69 DCAM; PR70 DCAM scarce |
| Total | 12,114,750,363 | One of the highest combined mintage years for Lincoln cents | ||
Grading a 1993 penny means evaluating three things simultaneously: wear (or its absence), contact marks in the fields, and color designation. The copper-plated zinc composition adds a fourth dimension — surface integrity — that makes grading these coins different from earlier solid-copper cents.
📱 CoinKnow helps you match your 1993 penny's condition to photo examples of certified PCGS grades — upload your coin image and compare against documented MS specimens — a coin identifier and value app.
The best venue depends on your coin's value tier. A Close AM variety or gem-grade RD coin deserves a different platform than a circulated regular strike.
The top destination for rare 1993 penny errors and gem-grade examples. Heritage reached the $51,750 mule error sale and the $3,375 MS69 RD record. Their numismatic specialists attract serious collectors globally. Best for: any coin worth $200+, especially certified errors. Expect 15–20% seller's commission but the widest bidder audience in the hobby.
Completed recently sold 1993 Lincoln penny prices and auction comps on eBay reveal real-time market values for all grades. Mid-grade certified Close AM examples (MS63–MS65 RD) often sell at strong prices here. Stick to PCGS- or NGC-certified coins for best results; clear macro photos are essential. Fees run 12–15% of final value.
Ideal for quick, hassle-free sales of lower-value coins — die cracks, off-center strikes under $50, or AU examples. Dealers typically offer 50–60% of retail value since they need margin to resell. Bring comparable eBay sold listings to negotiate. A reputable shop is also a good first stop for a free opinion on whether your coin is worth professional grading.
A growing collector-to-collector marketplace with zero seller fees and a community of genuine Lincoln cent enthusiasts. Works best for coins in the $20–$200 range — Close AM varieties, BIE errors, and gem singles. Requires clear photos, honest descriptions, and PayPal Goods & Services for buyer protection. The Lincoln cent collecting community on Reddit is active and knowledgeable.
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