The most valuable penny in the United States is the 1943 copper Lincoln penny. This penny was minted during World War II when copper was needed for the war effort, so the U.S. Mint switched to using steel for pennies. However, a small number of copper pennies were accidentally minted in 1943, and these pennies are now extremely rare and valuable. In 2010, a 1943 copper Lincoln penny sold for $1.7 million at auction.