2000 Lincoln Penny Value (Mint Marks, Errors Worth & More)

Have you ever wondered if that penny in your pocket could buy you a new car? Well, a rare 2000 Lincoln Penny struck on a distinctive planchet recently sold for an astounding $35,000 at auction! This is enough to price how valuable this small cent can be today!

But not all the 2000 pennies are worth a fortune! So, if you want to find out how to spot a valuable cent that can make you rich, scroll down to learn all the rare features and much more!

Identifying a Real 2000 Lincoln Memorial Cent (Design & Features)

The key to spotting a genuine 2000 Lincoln Penny is to verify its physical features. Every authentic cent carries distinct design elements on both sides and some special features.

2000 Lincoln Penny Obverse:

• Lincoln’s profile facing right with fine detail in his beard and hair
• “IN GOD WE TRUST” above Lincoln’s head
• “LIBERTY” to the left of Lincoln’s portrait
• The mint date “2000” positioned to Lincoln’s right
• The mint mark, if present, below the date
• The designer’s initials “VDB” appear subtly on Lincoln’s shoulder

2000 Lincoln Penny Reverse:

• The Lincoln Memorial building centered on the design
• “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” curves along the top
• “ONE CENT” across the bottom
• “E PLURIBUS UNUM” on the banner above the Memorial
• Lincoln’s statue visible between the Memorial’s columns
• Designer Frank Gasparro’s initials “FG” appear on Memorial’s right

Coin Composition, Weight & Other Features

The 2000 Lincoln Penny continues the copper-plated zinc composition introduced in 1982. Here are its other physical details:

How to Find the Value of a 2000 Lincoln Cent (3 Key Factors)

Most 2000 Lincoln Pennies you’ll find in circulation are worth their face value of one cent. However, uncirculated coins, especially those with their original mint red color or rare minting errors can be worth significantly more, reaching up to $35,000 or more!

1. Coin Grades and Color

An old 2000 Lincoln Penny’s value is heavily influenced by both its grade (condition) and color designation. The grading scale runs from Poor (P-1) through Mint State (MS-70); the higher the grades, the better the condition and the higher the value!

Most mint state 2000 pennies ranging from MS60 to MS69 or above can sell for $5 to $4,000 or more.

However, the color of the penny plays an equally crucial role. Pennies are designated as:

• Red (RD): 95% or more original mint color
• Red-Brown (RB): 5% to 95% original color
• Brown (BN): Less than 5% original color

Among these, Red 2000 pennies are generally worth the most, often fetching up to a thousand or more in high grades, like MS69 or above! On the other hand, Brown and Red-Brown pennies are worth almost five times less, typically ranging from $10 to $150 in mint condition!

2. 2000 Lincoln Cent Mint Marks

The total mintage for 2000 reached a staggering 14,032,480,000 pennies across three mints. Let’s break down each mint’s production and values:

2000 D Lincoln Penny Value (Mintage – 8,774,220,000)

With over 8.7 billion mintage, the Denver Mint produced the highest number of 2000 Lincoln cents, making them the most common of all. The value of an uncirculated 2000 D penny morally ranges from $3 to $1,000.

The most expensive 2000 D Cent was sold for $2,415 on Stack’s Bowers Auctions.

The average values of a 2000 D Lincoln Penny in mint state are as follows:

• MS-65: $3-$6
• MS-66: $6-$9
• MS-67: $9-$17
• MS-68: $50-$75
• MS-69: $800-$2,500

2000 No Mint Mark Penny Value (Mintage – 5,503,200,000)

The Philadelphia Mint produced the second most Lincoln cents in 2000. Due to their slightly lower mintage, these coins are less common and, hence, more valuable than 2000 D pennies. The highest price of a 2000 no-mint mark penny was $3,220 released on Bowers & Merena Auctions!

Here are the estimated values of a 2000 no mint mark penny in a mint state:

• MS-65: $3-$10
• MS-66: $10-$15
• MS-67: $15-$18
• MS-68: $50-$85
• MS-69: $1,500-$3,500

2000 S Lincoln Proof Penny Value (Mintage – 4,047,993)

The San Francisco Mint produced the least Lincoln cents in 2000. Instead of business cents, this facility released only proof cents, which are known for their highly reflective surface and sharp design.

Generally, the proof coins have two important designations:

• Cameo (CAM) Proof: Subtle contrast between the raised design and reflective fields
• Deep Cameo (DCAM) Proof: Strong contrast between the devices and backgrounds

However, only DCAM Proof pennies have been graded as of now from the year 2000. And these are valued from $3 to $500 or more in high grades, as follows:

• PR65 RD: $2-$3
• PR67 RD: $3-$9
• PR69 RD: $9-$15
• PR70 RD: $15-$250

The most expensive PR70 2000 S proof penny sold for $2,465 in a coin auction!

3. Valuable Mint Errors of 2000 Lincoln Penny

Minting errors or flaws can also significantly impact your coin’s value. Here are the most fascinating 2000 penny errors to find now:

Struck on a 2000-P Dime

One of the most dramatic errors this one occurs when a 2000 penny design is struck on a dime planchet. These error coins typically show silvery coloring due to the dime’s composition and weigh around 2.27 grams instead of the standard 2.5 grams.

The recent sales show the value of a 2000 penny struck on 2000-P Dime ranging from $500 to $3,000, like the MS68 example sold for $2,640 on Heritage Auctions!

Struck on a Sacagawea Dollar

Perhaps the most valuable of all 2000 penny errors, these incredible pieces are produced when a 2000 penny design is mistakenly struck on a golden Sacagawea dollar planchet. The distinctive golden color and larger size (26.5mm versus 19.05mm) make these errors immediately apparent.

Only a handful are known to exist, these rare coins can fetch up to $10,000-$30,000 or more, like this MS66 example that was bought on Heritage Auctions for an eye-popping price of $35,250!

Double Denomination on Struck Dime

A valuable 2000 penny occurs when a Lincoln cent design is struck over an already-struck dime. As the name suggests, this Lincoln penny error coin shows clear elements of both coins – traces of the dime’s design underneath the penny strike. These errors typically weigh the same as a dime (2.27 grams) and display a silvery color.

The recent auction data shows these rare 2000 pennies selling for $1,000 to $5,500+ with one spectacular MS67 example sold reaching $4,600 on Heritage Auctions! An MS66 example sold for over $1,775 on eBay!

Struck on a 2000-P Virginia Statehood Quarter

When a 2000 Lincoln penny design is struck on a quarter planchet, the result is this spectacular error coin, which is notably larger than normal cents with the silvery color. The value of a 2000 penny struck on 2000-P Virginia Statehood Quarter can range from $7,000 to $20,000 or more.

For example, an MS66 specimen of this rare coin error sold for a stunning price of $26,400 on Heritage Auctions in 2022!

Broadstruck with Obverse Indent

These unique error coins show a normal strike but without the confining collar die, combined with an indent on the obverse caused by another planchet. The result is a spread-out penny with a distinctive depression in Lincoln’s portrait.

A 2000 Lincoln cent with this fascinating error can typically sell for $50 to $200, as this MS66 Red example sold for almost $75! More dramatic and high-grade examples can fetch higher prices.

Off-center Strike

An Off-center strike error happens when the planchet isn’t properly positioned between the dies, resulting in the Penny design going off-center. The most valuable examples show 50-60% off-center while still displaying the complete date.

These dramatic errors can range from $50 for minor off-centers to $300-$500 for major off-centers with full dates.

2000 Wide AM Error

The 2000 Lincoln penny Wide AM variety shows the A and M in AMERICA distant from each other at their bases on the reverse. Although not an error, this variety is still highly sought after by collectors.

In high grades with full red color, a Wide AM penny can bring $50-$200, with the finest examples occasionally reaching even more.