A Wheat Penny is a United States American coin that bears the image of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse or front side of the coin and two wheat stalks on the reverse side. It is the most collected coin in the world, was issued from 1909 to 1958, and has a face value of 0.01 cents
The Lincoln Wheat Penny is also known as the Lincoln Cent.
The Lincoln Wheat Pennies came into being because, in 1908, Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States wanted to honor Abraham Lincoln, one of his greatest icons. It was the first year an actual person was placed on a US coin.
Theodore Roosevelt sanctioned Victor D Brenner, a Lithuanian immigrant, and well-known sculptor and engraver to design the coin.
In the year 1909, the first batch of 95% copper coins was struck by the San Francisco minted and released to the public on the 2nd of August of 1909 with the initials of VDB inscribed boldly under the wheat stalks. They weighed 3.11 grams.
However, because they were too prominent, they were quickly removed by the public mint. Only 484,000 of these coins were minted and issued. Therefore, only of few these are in existence and are very rare and valuable. It is nearly impossible to find one in your pocket change but if you do can fetch good money. Recently, one in MS67 RD condition was sold at auction for $1,440.00.
Always search for them in your coin rolls and pocket change.
In 1918, small initials of VDB were placed back on the wheat penny.
The worth of wheat pennies varies depending on their grade and also mint errors you might find on them. A coin with MS60 – MS70 grade is worth more than one in bad condition. Errors like double die, Repunched mint marks, off-center strikes, capped die errors will make your wheat pennies more valuable. Be sure to check your stash, pocket changes, and coin rolls for these coins.
To know the worth of your wheat pennies, check our detailed outline on all wheat pennies from 1909 – 2008 below.
Wheat Penny Values
Click to know the value of the wheat penny you want to know about:
- 1958 Wheat Penny
- 1958 D Wheat Penny
- 1957 Wheat Penny
- 1957 D Wheat Penny
- 1956 Wheat Penny
- 1956 D Wheat Penny
- 1955 Wheat Penny
- 1955 D Wheat Penny
- 1955 S Wheat Penny
- 1954 Wheat Penny
- 1954 D Wheat Penny
- 1954 S Wheat Penny
- 1953 Wheat Penny
- 1953 D Wheat Penny
- 1953 S Wheat Penny
- 1952 Wheat Penny
- 1952 D Wheat Penny
- 1952 S Wheat Penny
- 1951 Wheat Penny
- 1951 D Wheat Penny
- 1951 S Wheat Penny
- 1950 Wheat Penny
- 1950 D Wheat Penny
- 1950 S Wheat Penny
- 1949 Wheat Penny
- 1949 D Wheat Penny
- 1949 S Wheat Penny
- 1948 Wheat Penny
- 1948 D Wheat Penny
- 1948 S Wheat Penny
- 1947 Wheat Penny
- 1947 D Wheat Penny
- 1947 S Wheat Penny
- 1946 Wheat Penny
- 1946 D Wheat Penny
- 1946 S Wheat Penny
- 1945 Wheat Penny
- 1945 D Wheat Penny
- 1945 S Wheat Penny
- 1944 Wheat Penny
- 1944 D Wheat Penny
- 1944 S Wheat Penny
- 1944 Steel Wheat Penny
- 1943 Steel Wheat Penny
- 1943 D Steel Wheat Penny
- 1943 S Steel Wheat Penny
- 1943 Copper Wheat Penny
- 1942 Wheat Penny
- 1942 D Wheat Penny
- 1942 S Wheat Penny
- 1941 Wheat Penny
- 1941 D Wheat Penny
- 1941 S Wheat Penny
- 1940 Wheat Penny
- 1940 D Wheat Penny
- 1940 S Wheat Penny
- 1939 Wheat Penny
- 1939 D Wheat Penny
- 1939 S Wheat Penny
- 1938 Wheat Penny
- 1938 D Wheat Penny
- 1938 S Wheat Penny
- 1937 Wheat Penny
- 1937 D Wheat Penny
- 1937 S Wheat Penny
- 1936 Wheat Penny
- 1936 D Wheat Penny
- 1936 S Wheat Penny
- 1935 Wheat Penny
- 1935 D Wheat Penny
- 1935 S Wheat Penny
- 1934 Wheat Penny
- 1934 D Wheat Penny
- 1933 Wheat Penny
- 1933 D Wheat Penny
- 1932 Wheat Penny
- 1932 D Wheat Penny
- 1931 Wheat Penny
- 1931 D Wheat Penny
- 1931 S Wheat Penny
- 1930 Wheat Penny
- 1930 D Wheat Penny
- 1930 S Wheat Penny
- 1929 Wheat Penny
- 1929 D Wheat Penny
- 1929 S Wheat Penny
- 1928 Wheat Penny
- 1928 D Wheat Penny
- 1928 S Wheat Penny
- 1927 Wheat Penny
- 1927 D Wheat Penny
- 1927 S Wheat Penny
- 1926 Wheat Penny
- 1926 D Wheat Penny
- 1926 S Wheat Penny
- 1925 Wheat Penny
- 1925 D Wheat Penny
- 1925 S Wheat Penny
- 1924 Wheat Penny
- 1924 D Wheat Penny
- 1924 S Wheat Penny
- 1923 Wheat Penny
- 1923 S Wheat Penny
- 1922 D Wheat Penny
- 1921 Wheat Penny
- 1921 S Wheat Penny
- 1920 Wheat Penny
- 1920 D Wheat Penny
- 1920 S Wheat Penny
- 1919 Wheat Penny
- 1919 D Wheat Penny
- 1919 S Wheat Penny
- 1918 Wheat Penny
- 1918 D Wheat Penny
- 1918 S Wheat Penny
- 1917 Wheat Penny
- 1917 D Wheat Penny
- 1917 S Wheat Penny
- 1916 Wheat Penny
- 1916 D Wheat Penny
- 1916 S Wheat Penny
- 1915 Wheat Penny
- 1915 D Wheat Penny
- 1915 S Wheat Penny
- 1914 Wheat Penny
- 1914 D Wheat Penny
- 1914 S Wheat Penny
- 1913 Wheat Penny
- 1913 D Wheat Penny
- 1913 S Wheat Penny
- 1912 Wheat Penny
- 1912 D Wheat Penny
- 1912 S Wheat Penny
- 1911 Wheat Penny
- 1911 D Wheat Penny
- 1911 S Wheat Penny
- 1910 Wheat Penny
- 1910 S Wheat Penny
- 1909 Wheat Penny
- 1909 S Wheat Penny
- 1909 Vdb Wheat Penny
- 1909 S Vdb Wheat Penny
