Looking for Lincoln Wheat penny values can be tricky because many of the price guides that are available online offer confusing information about what a coin might fetch based on its physical condition.
The 1955 Double Die Wheat Penny error coin is the most plentiful of all Wheat Penny error coins and can bring a small fortune itself. It is often compared to the 1922 error coin in terms of desirability although it is much more common than the 1922. The 1955 Double Die Wheat Penny can fetch around $1,500.00 for a very fine version of the coin. Monster Bag of 5,000 Wheat Pennies - Free Domestic Shipping - 1909 /1958 - Unsearched - With the price of copper skyrocketing, unsearched bags of Wheat Pennies have become extremely popular. We have literally bought hundreds of thousands of these wheat pennies and do not have the time to go through them, so we count them and bag them just as. It is also important to note at this point that all wheat pennies are worth more than face value. Indeed the price of copper is high enough that a 1 cent wheat penny is valued 2-3 cents solely for its metal content. This is in addition to the numismatic value, which is about 5-10 cents for common dates of the 1934-1958 range.
All too often, online pricing info is tailored to what a “perfect” coin might be worth. That's definitely exciting if you’ve got, say, a 1941 Lincoln cent that “could be” worth $1,000 or $5,000 in pristine condition. But what is a well-worn example from pocket change worth in reality? That’s quite a different story. . .
First, The Bad News. . .
If you’ve come to this page hoping that Lincoln Wheat cent you’ve pulled out of your pocket change is going to pay off your car or help put your kids through college, you might want to be sitting down. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Lincoln Wheat pennies found in circulation, inherited folder collections, or in jars of old coins are worth less than 10 cents apiece.
In fact, with the exceptions of major errors and varieties, no Lincoln wheat penny struck after 1933 is worth more than 10 cents in worn condition, and most are worth only 2 or 3 cents. Well-worn 1943 steel pennies often trade for 5 to 10 cents apiece in well-worn condition. But chances are any of the Lincoln Wheat cents you’ve found in pocket change are going to be worth only a small amount over face value.
Now, The Good News!
While most worn, common-date Lincoln Wheat pennies aren’t worth more than 10 cents, there are many Lincoln Wheat cents that are worth much more, and by quite a bit. There are four major regular-issue key dates in the series and several valuable semi-key dates, varieties, and errors, too.
Key Date Wheat Pennies
The major Lincoln Wheat cent key dates include:
- 1909-S
- 1909-S VDB
- 1914-D
- 1931-S
Important semi-key dates are:
- 1909 VDB
- 1910-S
- 1911-S
- 1912-S
- 1913-S
- 1914-S
- 1915-S
- 1922-D
- 1924-D
- 1926-S
Then there are the “better dates” (or “better issues”)—those that may not necessarily rise to the status of being a bona fide semi-key date but are nevertheless more valuable than the common dates. These include:
- 1909
- 1911-D
- 1912
- 1912-D
- 1913-D
- 1915-D
- 1916-D
- 1916-S
- 1920-D
- 1921-S
- 1923-S
- 1925-D
- 1925-S
- 1926-D
- 1927-D
- 1927-S
- 1928-S
- 1931-D
- 1932
- 1932-D
- 1933
- 1933-D
Finally, there are the varieties and errors, which constitute some of the most valuable Lincoln Wheat pennies in the series. These are not necessarily required for completing a set of Lincoln Wheat cents, yet many collectors pursue them anyway. Here’s a glance at the most widely collected, most popular errors and varieties and what they’re worth:
- 1909-S S Over Horizontal S
- 1917 Doubled Die
- 1922 No D
- 1922 Weak D
- 1943 Bronze
- 1943-D Doubled Mintmark
- 1944 Steel
- 1955 Doubled Die
Steel Wheat cent
What Are These Wheat Pennies Worth?
The chart below provides an approximate estimate on retail values for the Lincoln cents individually listed above. It also provides values for the Wheat penny date ranges not specifically mentioned above. Value breakdowns are for coins in average circulated (VG8 to VF20) condition and average uncirculated condition (MS62-MS64).
*Values above are for problem-free coins with no signs of damage, including holes, major gouges, scratches, or cleanings.
Collecting Lincoln Wheat Cents
The Lincoln penny is not just one of the most widely collected issues among all United States coinage, but it’s also one of the most familiar coins anywhere in the world. While the Lincoln Wheat cent is a long-obsolete coin that has been gradually disappearing from circulation over the past decades, it remains one of the first coin collectors begin searching for. Yet, even many of the most advanced collectors stick to collecting Lincoln cents throughout their lives.
A great many numismatists focus on studying and collecting Lincoln Wheat cents exclusively, in part because the series is so complex and lends to so many incredible finds. New discoveries are still being made among the Lincoln Wheat penny, including repunched mintmarks and other minor and major die varieties of varying significance.
Many collectors will build sets of Lincoln Wheat pennies using cardboard folders, deluxe albums, or museum-quality Lucite holders. Then there are the collectors who seek high-grade examples encapsulated by third-party coin grading firms and use these coins to build registry sets. But there is no right or wrong way to collect Lincoln pennies!
As Lincoln Wheat penny values range all over the price spectrum, the series offers something for just about everybody regardless of their income or collecting level. And, because of this, the Lincoln cent reigns to this day as one of the most versatile, beloved coin series and rightly claims a strong following of millions of collectors in the United States and around the globe.
Joshua McMorrow-Hernandez is a journalist, editor, and blogger who has won multiple awards from the Numismatic Literary Guild. He has also authored numerous books, including works profiling the history of the United States Mint and United States coinage.
More from the author:
When collecting Lincoln Cents be sure to watch out for rare wheat pennies and other valuable pennies. Some of them can be worth several hundred dollars each, on up to a few thousand dollars for some coins.
First off, let me say that you should keep any wheat penny that you find since they are all worth at least three times face value. Keep in mind that I am referring to wholesale price. This is the price that a coin dealer would be willing to pay you for the coins.
Most prices that you see quoted in coin price guides are for retail price, or the price that you would likely have to pay a dealer for a coin. To see retail prices of your coins, check out Professional Coin Grading Service Daily Price Guide for Lincoln Cents (1909-1958).
If you want to see Lincoln Penny Values, or what your wheat cents will bring if you sell them, Coin Values Discovery is a great site for that.
Below you will find a list of rare wheat pennies as well as some other valuable pennies that you should keep an eye out for, including error coins.
Valuable Wheat Pennies (1909-1958)
- Wheat Penny Key Dates:
- 1909-S VDB
- 1909-S
- 1914-D
- 1931-S
- Wheat Penny Overmintmarks:
- 1909-S over horizontal S
- 1944-D over S
- 1946-S over D
- 1951-D/S
- 1952-D/S
- 1956-D/S (dual mintmark)
- 1956-D/D/S
- Double Dies:
- 1917 - obverse
- 1936 - obverse
- 1941
- 1942-S
- 1955 - obverse
- 1943-D - Boldly doubled mintmark.
- 1958 - Double Die Obverse - only 2 known
- 1922 'Plain' - due to a worn die in which the mintmark became filled. Look for a 'Strong' reverse variety as it is the most valuable.
- 1943 Copper Penny - This particular 1943 penny is rare. It is believed that about 40 of these were struck but only 12 of these coins have been confirmed to exist.
- 1944 Steel Penny - 27 are known to exist from the Philadelphia Mint with no mint mark and 7-10 from Denver (D). Only 1 1944 Penny made of steel is known to exist with an S mintmark.
Value Of Old Pennies By Year
My Recommendation!
Don't forget to visit Amazon to get your very own Kindle e-reader and a variety of Books about Coins .
That way you can take all of your coin books with you where ever you go.
I love my Kindle Fire ! I highly recommend them to everyone!
I know that any time I see a coin at a flea market or coin shop or anywhere else I happen to be, all I have to do is check it out in one of the many books on my Kindle Fire. That way I can refresh my memory at any time and know for certain when I am getting a good deal on any coin.
Wheat Penny Value 1956
Return From Rare Wheat Pennies to Valuable Pennies.
Learn More About Rare Lincoln Memorial Pennies
Return to Lincoln Cents.
See mintages for the Lincoln Penny.
Wheat Penny Value 1943 Steel
Return to US Coins
See Where the