Lincoln Wheat Penny (1909–1958): Values & Key Dates
In pristine condition, a 1941 Lincoln cent “could be” worth $1,000 or $5,000, but what is a well-worn example from pocket change worth in reality? That’s a different story.
First, The Bad News. . .
The vast majority of Lincoln Wheat pennies are worth less than ten cents each, with well-worn 1943 steel pennies fetching 5 to ten cents in worn condition, and no Lincoln Wheat penny struck after 1933 fetching more than eight cents in worn condition.
Now, The Good News!
There are four major regular-issue key dates in the series, as well as several valuable semi-key dates, varieties, and errors, and many Lincoln Wheat pennies are worth more than ten cents.
Key Date Wheat Pennies
The following are the major Lincoln Wheat cent key dates: 1909-S1909-S VDB1914-D1931-S. Although varieties and errors are not required for completing a set of Lincoln Wheat cents, many collectors pursue them anyway.
What Are These Wheat Pennies Worth?
The values above are for problem-free coins with no signs of damage, such as holes, major gouges, scratches, or cleanings, and are for coins in average circulated (VG8 to VF20) and average uncirculated condition.
Collecting Lincoln Wheat Cents
Many collectors will build sets of Lincoln Wheat pennies using cardboard folders, deluxe albums, or Lucite holders. The Lincoln penny is one of the most widely collected issues among all United States coinage, and the Lincoln Wheat cent is a long-obsolete coin that has been disappearing from circulation.
What years of wheat pennies are valuable?
Most wheat cents (wheat pennies were minted between 1909 and 1956) are worth about 4 to 5 cents, but better examples (especially those in near-perfect condition) can be worth much more. Indian Head pennies from 1859 to 1879 are generally worth more than $10.
What is the rarest wheat penny?
Wheat Pennies with the Highest Value
- The 1944 Steel Wheat Penny is valued at $500,000. The 1943 Copper Wheat Penny is valued at $100,000. The 1914 D Wheat Penny is valued at $10,000. The 1922 D Wheat Penny is valued at $6,000. The 1926 Wheat Penny is valued at $4,000.
What year wheat penny is worth $1000000?
Legend Numismatics of Lincroft, New Jersey, announced in September 2012 that Bob R. Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers baseball team, had paid $1 million for the finest known 1943-S Lincoln Wheat cent on a bronze planchet.
What wheat pennies have value?
There are a couple of other wheat pennies worth more than a few cents u2014 they are:
- 1926 S u2013 $2.25. 1923 S u2013 $2.00.
- 1916 S u2013 $1.20. 1915 S u2013 $7.00. 1915 D u2013 $1.75. 1915 u2013 $1.60. 1914 S u2013 $12.00.
- 1913 S u2013 $7.00. 1913 D u2013 $2.50. 1912 S u2013 $12.00. 1912 D u2013 $6.00. 1912 u2013 $1.25.
What is the rarest Kennedy half dollar?
A 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar Snatches A World-Record $108,000! Heritage Auctions held a public auction of rare U.S. coins on Thursday, April 25, 2019, and a 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar sold for a world record $108,000, making it the most expensive coin of its type.
Why is 1944 wheat penny rare?
The 1944 Lincoln penny is particularly desirable to collectors, not only because of its design, but also because of its scarcity: because no more 1944 Lincolns are being produced, their scarcity is constantly increasing, making the coins more valuable.
Is a 1944 wheat penny worth anything?
The 1944 S Wheat Penny is worth an average of 15 cents on CoinTrackers.com, but one in certified mint state (MS ) could be worth $8.
How many 1943 copper pennies have been found?
A total of 27 1943 copper wheat pennies have been confirmed to exist and graded, including six of the 1943-S and the one-of-a-kind 1943-D. PCGS has graded seven of the 27 and NGC has graded 13.
How much is a 1943 D steel penny worth?
The 1943 D Steel Wheat Penny is worth an average of 45 cents on CoinTrackers.com, but one in certified mint state (MS ) could be worth $12 (see details).
Why is it illegal to own a 1964 Peace Dollar?
In May 1973, Treasury Department officials ruled that owning a 1964-D Peace dollar was illegal, and that any pieces that escaped melting and made their way into the collector market would be confiscated by the Treasury Department.
Is there a penny that is worth a million dollars?
Don Lutes Jr. discovered a copper 1943 Lincoln penny in the change from his high school lunch in 1947, and it’s one of only 20 that were minted on copper rather than steel. He recently passed away, and the penny is now up for auction.
Should I clean my wheat pennies?
Cleaning foreign coins, Morgan dollars, wheat pennies, and other valuables to remove corrosion is a delicate and dangerous task; we do not recommend cleaning rare coins if you plan to sell them because cleaning such valuable items devalues them.
Can you sell wheat pennies?
Because old wheat pennies are heavy and a roll of 50 coins is expensive to mail, finding a local dealer to meet at their shop or at a coin show is a cost-effective way to sell Wheat Pennies to dealers.
What makes a 1957 D penny rare?
Higher grades are elusive due to the Denver mint’s bulk handling of coins, which resulted in all coins having some minuscule bag marks; problem free circulated examples can be purchased for about 10 to 15 cents.