Are wheat pennies worth anything?
Short answer: yes. Every wheat penny (Lincoln cents dated 1909–1958, with two wheat ears on the back) is worth at least face value, and most dates are common. A short list of key dates, varieties and errors is worth far more. What any wheat penny is worth depends on three things: its year, its mint mark and its condition.
Sources: PCGS CoinFacts, PCGS Lincoln cent guide, NGC. Updated October 7, 2026.
Read your wheat penny in 3 steps
- Year. On the front, to the right of Lincoln. Wheat pennies run from 1909 to 1958; in 1959 the back changed to the Lincoln Memorial.
- Mint mark. Just below the date: D Denver, S San Francisco, no letter Philadelphia.
- Condition. Sharp detail in Lincoln's hair and cheek and on the wheat lines matters, and for copper cents so does color. Don't clean the coin — cleaning leaves scratches that lower its value.
Key-date wheat pennies to look for
These are the dates PCGS names as the keys of the series (PCGS CoinFacts). Their value still depends on condition and on whether the coin is genuine.
| Coin | What to check |
|---|---|
| 1909-S VDB | S below the date and the designer's initials V.D.B. at the bottom of the back. |
| 1909-S | S below the date, no V.D.B. on the back. |
| 1914-D | D below the date. |
| 1931-S | S below the date. |
| 1922 "No D" | A 1922 cent with no mint mark. All 1922 cents were struck in Denver; on some the D did not show. The valuable one has a strong reverse. |
| 1955 doubled die | Bold doubling in the date and in LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST on the front. |
The famous 1943 and 1944 errors
To save copper during World War II, 1943 cents were made of zinc-coated steel — silver colored, and made by the hundreds of millions at all three mints, so a steel 1943 cent is common. A few 1943 cents were struck in bronze by mistake, and they are among the most valuable wheat pennies (PCGS, PCGS news). The opposite mistake happened in 1944, when some cents were struck on leftover steel blanks (PCGS).
A quick check: steel sticks to a magnet, bronze does not. Copper-plated steel cents and altered dates exist, so any "copper 1943" or "steel 1944" should be authenticated by PCGS or NGC before you sell or buy it.
What about the common dates?
Most wheat pennies are common dates that collectors find in rolls and jars. Their value depends on year, mint and condition; well-preserved coins with original color are the ones collectors look for. Except for 1943, wheat pennies are copper alloy, but US rules prohibit melting one-cent coins (31 CFR Part 82).
Frequently asked questions
Are wheat pennies worth anything?
Yes. Every wheat penny is worth at least its face value, and most dates are common. A few key dates, varieties and errors are worth far more. The value of any wheat penny depends on its year, mint mark and condition.
What years are wheat pennies?
Lincoln cents with two wheat ears on the back were made from 1909 to 1958. In 1959 the back changed to the Lincoln Memorial.
Which wheat pennies are rare?
PCGS lists the 1909-S VDB, 1909-S, 1914-D and 1931-S as the key regular-issue dates, plus two major varieties: the 1922 "No D" and the 1955 doubled die. The 1943 bronze cent and 1944 steel cent are famous errors (PCGS CoinFacts).
Where is the mint mark on a wheat penny?
On the front, just below the date: D for Denver or S for San Francisco. No letter means Philadelphia.
Is a 1943 steel penny worth anything?
The silver-colored 1943 cents are zinc-coated steel, and hundreds of millions were made at all three mints, so they are common. The rare one is a 1943 cent struck in bronze (copper) by mistake (PCGS). Steel sticks to a magnet; bronze does not.
Can I melt wheat pennies for the copper?
No. US rules (31 CFR Part 82) prohibit melting or treating one-cent and five-cent coins, with limited exceptions (eCFR).
Check your coins with Honest Coin
Honest Coin, a coin identifier app for iPhone, is coming soon to the App Store. Photograph both sides and it reads the year and mint mark, flags key dates and famous errors like the 1955 doubled die and the 1909-S VDB with a list of what to check, and links to what that exact coin really sold for — no guessed prices. When a date or mint mark can't be read, it asks for a close-up instead of guessing.
Also read: How do I find out what an old coin is worth? · Where is the mint mark on a Morgan dollar? · About Honest Coin
Honest Coin identifies coins from photos — it is not an appraisal, grade or authentication. See the disclaimer. Not affiliated with the US Mint, PCGS or NGC.