DENVER – A rare penny believed to have been lost for more than 120 years sold for $211,500 at a public auction in Denver last week.
The coin, minted in 1792, is one of just a handful of so-called “Birch cents” known to be in existence. The coins are called “Birch” cents after the engraver, whose name appears on the coins.
Experts believe the coin is one previously owned by famous collector Lorin G. Parmelee, who sold the cent at an auction in 1890 for $75. It hadn’t been seen since.
The 1792 Birch cent sold at an auction run by Heritage Auctions in Denver Wednesday as part of the World’s Fair of Money.
Another rare penny – a 1943 Lincoln penny mistakenly made with bronze instead of zinc-coated steel – sold for $282,000 at the coin show.