If You Have These Rare Pennies, You Could Be Rich

You never know what items sitting around your house could actually be worth a lot of money. As it turns out, some rare pennies are worth tons of cash. You might be surprised how much these are worth, too, as the most valuable penny of 2024 is worth more than $400,000. So, make note that if you have these special pennies, it could be like winning the lottery.

I actually collect coins. My uncle has been giving me coins ever since I was a baby. He even game my mom a special coin the day I was born. Each year for Christmas, he also gives me some new coins. So, learning about rare pennies and coins is certainly fun for me and familiar. I highly doubt that any of the coins my uncle has given me are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it's worth a try. You might be surprised with how much the coins sitting around your home are worth.

Cointrackers.com has put together a new tally of the most valuable pennies in 2024. They note that the coin values and how much they're worth is "not based off common errors like double dies, but rather coins that were issued into circulation as is." They also state that "As of now our database consists almost entirely of coins from 1880s-2024, as we wanted to focus mostly on coins that were readily accessible and possibly still in circulation."

As you may have guessed, older coins are worth more. That's not always the case, but it's usually older coins are the most rare. That said, Contrackers.com's list of valuable coins fall between the years 1857 and 1944. The oldest coin is the No. 3 most valuable in the U.S., which is an 1856 Flying Eagle Penny worth $25,000. The newest coin is actually the most valuable, but 1944 isn't new. That's still an old coin. The 1944 Steel Wheat Penny is worth an impressive $408,000. That's seriously better than winning the lottery. The second most valuable penny in 2024 is the 1943 Copper Wheat Penny at $250,000. This list has coins that range in worth from $1,200 to $408,000. The most valuable coins are "wheat pennies," which by definition is "a U.S. one-cent coin produced from 1909 to 1959, having a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse and a pair of ears of wheat on the reverse," according to YourDictionary.com. So, look inside the folds of your couches and see if you have any of these rare pennies around.

The traditional bachelor's degree just isn't for everyone. In fact, there are a big group of people who opt to skip the traditional college route and still make very good money. There are plenty of jobs out there that don't requite a four-year bachelor's degree but still make $100K or more per year. No, it's not too good to be true. Let's get into some of these high-paying jobs that pay over $100K without a degree.

Before we get into those high-paying jobs, let's talk about how to land your dream job. Indeed.com has a great checklist of things to do when you're on the job hunt. One major thing is to create a good resume. They suggest to tailor that resume to every job to which you're applying, so that it fits the job perfectly. Make one "master" copy of your resume, and then use that as a template to create special resumes for each of the jobs for which you're applying. So, how do you tailer for resume? "When deciding what to include in your resume, choose actionable items that would capture an employer's interest," they suggest. "Along with including qualitative results in your work experience section, you can also add in some quantifiable data." They also say that numbers and statistics and numbers look good on a resume, so include those.

FlexJobs.com suggests to "research companies, rather than jobs." They say to "pursue companies that mirror your values to narrow your search, and to, "seek out organizations with a strong culture fit and a mission that aligns with yours." That's a great tip so that you're finding a company with the same values and ethics that you possess. Of course, it doesn't hurt to look for actual jobs on search sites such as FlexJobs.com and Indeed.com, too. Keep an eye out for opening at your desired company that pop up.

Now, let's get into some high-paying jobs that pay over $100K without a degree.

Careerkarma.com has Technology Sales Manager listed as the job without a college degree that makes the most money. Average salary is $161,920. Sound good, right? Minimum job requirements are, "Experience as a sales representative and a high-school diploma."

Another high-paying job without a degree, according to Careerkarma.com, is a Computer and Information Systems Manager. They make an average of $159,010 a year. You need computer science knowledge and 5 to 10 years of management experience, they state.

Here's an interesting one. A fire chief is on Indeed's list of high-paying jobs without a degree. They state, "Fire chiefs are responsible for overseeing and managing fire departments, which involves supervising personnel, developing budgets and planning emergency responses." National average salary is $105,287 per year.

Another job on Indeed list of high-paying jobs without a degree is Product Manager. So, what is that? "They may develop and implement the large and small business strategies that fuel the product development process and manage the launch of the product's features," they explain.

This is a really interesting one: Professional Sports Referee. The top salary per year is $210,000. But, they can make as little as $21,000 per year, too, as that's the average salary. So, you have to get a bigger gig to make more than 100K for this job. This is according to Resumeviking.com. They state, "No academic background is necessary, apart from obtaining a referee certification in the sport you want to referee. The stakes are high, but so is the return if you have the nerves for putting it all out there with no guarantees of ever gaining enough recognition to join in on this multi-billion-dollar industry!"

The national salary for a Senior Real Estate Manager is $133,076 per year," according to Indeed. They state, "Senior real estate managers oversee the daily operations of a property like an apartment complex or commercial building. They typically manage maintenance teams, ensure tenants pay rent on time and fill vacancies." They suggest to "gain experience in entry-level positions and work your way up to this job."

A Court Reporter makes an average salary of $103,270, according to Careerkarma.com. The job is to take notes on legal proceedings in court. "To land a court reporter job with no degree, you’ll need to take the exam for Registered Professional Reporter certification," they note. "This requires good listening skills, the ability to type quickly, and some knowledge of common legal terms."

Executive Assistant is No. 1 on US News and World Report's list of the highest-paying jobs without a degree. "Executive assistants support high-level executives in public offices and private companies," they state. "They may manage the executive’s schedule, make travel arrangements, prioritize the executive’s emails, and sometimes act as a receptionist or gatekeeper, serving as the liaison between the executive and anyone who wishes to meet with them."