You Could Be Sitting on a Fortune: Here Are the Wheat Pennies Worth Millions Stashed Away in Your Cabinets

It's time to rummage through your old change jar – you just might have millions of dollars stashed away in your cabinets.

People are discovering that some old pennies could be worth millions of dollars.

Here's what to look for.

The penny was one of the first coins made by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792. According to a history from the U.S. Treasury, the first penny featured a woman with flowing hair symbolizing liberty. The Liberty image stayed on the coin until 1857 when it was changed to a flying eagle on one side and wreath on the back, pennies known as the “Indian Head” design.

Indian Head designs lasted until 1909 when Abraham Lincoln became the first president featured on a coin in honor of the slain president’s 100th birthday. The penny’s design showed an image of Lincoln – the same one used today – but, from 1905-1958, the reverse side showed two sheaves of wheat.

It's those wheat pennies that have become highly collectible and in some cases, could be worth a mint.

On the top of the list is the 1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny. As Yahoo explains, the penny is so valuable due to a mistake. During World War II, pennies were made of zinc-coated steel to save copper for the war effort. However, a few of the copper pennies were struck by mistake and it's that version that's extremely rare and valuable. A 1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny sold for $1.7 million in 2010 but is valued at $2.3 million in uncirculated mint condition.

There is only one of the coins known to be in existence – struck at the Denver Mint on a bronze planchet - Yahoo said, but others could exist. Other versions of the 1943 coin could be worth $100,000 or more.

What should you look for?

The value of coins depends on the year it was minted, how rare it is and its condition. Lower mintage numbers are more valuable, as are coins that have errors or mistakes.

If you have a stash of change, you should check for pennies that were minted in 1943. If you find one, it's worth taking to a coin dealer for an evaluation.

Other valuable coins:

GoBankingRates ranked other valuable pennies: