Lincoln Pennies (1909-1958) Show
The ever popular Lincoln wheat penny was first produced by the U.S. Mint in 1909. While the original edition pennies from 1909 can have significant collectable value, other editions of the Lincoln penny can be highly desired by coin collectors as well. A 1933-D, for example, may be valued at $2.30 or more. A 1931-S could be worth $40 or more. Obviously, some mint years may be worth considerably more than others, while the minting location may also play a role in the value of a penny. In addition to the penny’s mint year and edition, the coin’s overall condition is important when it comes to determining its value. Coins that have been well-preserved over the years can be valued significantly higher than similar coins that have wear and tear or damage. Lincoln Penny Value – What Dealers PayBoth coin dealers and coin collectors are willing to pay a higher premium for Lincoln Wheat Pennies that are in superior condition and of a higher grade. In fact, the values of collectable wheat pennies in good condition can range from several dollars to over $1000. If you have a Lincoln Wheat Penny in great condition from a year that is sought after by dealers and collectors, you may benefit from having your penny graded by an NGC or PCGS grading service. By having your penny graded, you may be able to get a closer idea as to what your penny may be bought or sold for. The grading process is extremely thorough and may account for even very subtle grading points while also considering collector and dealer demand. Lincoln Wheat Penny Value is ConditionalTo accurately gauge the grade of your Lincoln Wheat Penny, you must perform a close examination of the coin. One simple way to do this is to examine the wheat stalks on the coin’s reverse. If the parallel lines at the top of the wheat stalk are showing, the coin is likely in fine or even better condition. If the penny has experienced significant wear and tear due to handling over the years, there is a good chance these lines at the tops of the stalks will be worn down or even non-existent. In this case, the coin may be considered to be in good or a lesser condition. If the lines at the tops of the wheat stalks remain crisp, clear and robust, the coin may be in extremely fine condition. Of course, the coin’s other details must also be in excellent condition to be assigned a grade of extremely fine, with little to no signs of wear or erosion. The bottom line is this: The better the overall condition of your Lincoln Wheat Penny, the more desirable it may be for dealers and collectors, and thus the more valuable. Coin Grading Can Provide Peace of MindIf you have a Lincoln Wheat Penny that is in excellent condition and you are not sure how it might be graded, submitting your coin to NGC or PCGS to have it professionally graded may be a good idea. Coin grading services are in tune with the market and can give you a great idea as to how your Lincoln Wheat Penny may be valued. The small fee you incur for having your penny graded can be well-worth it to know you are getting fair market value for your coin if you wish to sell it. Coins that have been graded typically sell for higher premiums than non-graded coins, so your investment in grading may pay for itself. Mintmarks and the 1909 VDBAn “S” mintmark found under the date of a Lincoln Wheat Penny indicates that the penny was minted by the San Francisco Mint. Collectors desire these coins and they may trade for higher premiums than common date wheat cents. A “D” under the date indicates that the penny was minted in Denver, while lack of a mintmark indicates that the penny was minted in Philadelphia. Mint year 1909 also produced some wheat pennies with the designer’s initials, “VDB” for Victor D. Brenner. These initials may be found along the bottom rim of the coin just below the wheat stalks. Because fewer pennies were minted with the engraved initials, check your 1909 Lincoln Wheat Penny to see if it has the VDB engraving. Lincoln Wheat Penny Values Are RisingThe value of your Lincoln Wheat Penny is always changing and may increase over the years. This can happen for numerous reasons such as new collectors buying these coins or established collectors adding to their
collections. In addition, new varieties such as double-dies or over-dates may be discovered adding to the allure of Lincoln Wheat Pennies. All Market Updates are provided as a third party analysis and do not necessarily reflect the explicit views of JM Bullion Inc. and should not be construed as financial advice. This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy thru these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Wondering which pennies are worth more than face value? And which pennies you should be holding onto, rather than spending? Well here you go — a list of the most valuable pennies, each worth more than $1 apiece! Use this cheat sheet to see which pennies are worth saving and which ones are worth spending… Which Lincoln Pennies To KeepOf all the coins ever made by the United States Mint since 1793, arguably the most popular and widely collected among them are Lincoln pennies. The Lincoln cent (technically, only Great Britain officially has a denomination called the “penny”) is a favorite among collectors young and old, rich and poor. It’s also one of my favorite coins! Lincoln pennies are the first coins I ever collected when I initially charted my path in the hobby back in 1992, and it’s by far the coin series I’m most often asked about from readers here at The Fun Times Guide. If you want to know what your U.S. penny is worth, then read on! Here are the most important types of Lincoln pennies you should be keeping:
43 Most Valuable Pennies — By DateSo now that you have a good idea of which types of pennies to keep, you’re probably wondering about specific dates. Well, here’s a cheat sheet of the most valuable pennies to keep. Get ready… it’s a long list! The penny dates listed below are worth more than just a few cents (unlike most of the ones referenced above). These are the rarest and most valuable pennies that are worth more than $1 apiece:
*Values are for problem-free coins in a grade of Good or better, and uncirculated for those dated 1959 and later. As you’ll notice, there are several dates missing in the list above. The pennies that aren’t on this list are worth only a nominal amount — usually between 3 cents and $1. The list above also doesn’t include proof Lincoln cents — which you wouldn’t ordinarily find in circulation. Must read: How To Determine The Grade Of A Coin Other Valuable Pennies Worth MoneyIn addition to the pennies mentioned above, here are some other pennies worth money:
And here’s my video explaining how to tell if you’ve got a valuable penny or not: 4 Places To Find Rare & Valuable PenniesDo you know where to look for the most valuable pennies? Here are 4 of the best places to find rare pennies:
Read next: Most Valuable Nickels – A List Of Silver Nickels, Buffalo Nickels & Old Nickels Worth Holding Onto! I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below! What year pennies become valuable?Watch for low mintage years like 1955-S, 1939-D, 1933-D, and 1931-S. Depending on condition, rarer pennies are worth more. Look for all-copper pennies. Old pennies made before 1982 are 95% copper, which gives them an inherent metal value.
What are the key dates for pennies?The 10 Most Valuable Lincoln Pennies. 1998-P Wide AM: $25.. 1995-D Doubled Die: $50.. 1970-S Small Date High 7: $60.. 1984-P Doubled Die Ear: $250.. 1960-D Small D Over Large D: $200-$500.. 1983-P Doubled Die Reverse: $400.. 1992-D Close AM: $500.. 1999-P Wide AM: $540.. |