2019-01-22 Tue

Everybody fantasize to get a hold on an accidental treasure. That fantasy became reality for the family of Don Lutes Jr. of Pittsfield, Massachusetts who accidentally acquired an ultra-rare 1943 Lincoln penny.

Seventy Two years ago a 16-year-old boy Don Lutes Jr. received an ultra-rare 1943 as change from his school cafeteria. Lutes hold on to it and Seventy-two years later, it sold for $204,000 at Heritage Auctions.

As it turns out, the penny is one of only 20 copper coins accidentally produced during World War II as part of a manufacturing error. At a time, the US Mint began pressing coins made of zinc-plated steel instead of copper.

The collector died in September and his descendants decided to put the coin up for sale. On January 10, it sold for $204,000, surpassing its $170,000 pre-sale estimate. It attracted a total of 30 bids.

This is the most famous error coin in American numismatics.

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