Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (2024)

10 Wheat Cents Worth a Pretty Penny

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (1)

Looking for a downloadable value guide for Wheat Cents? We have one here!

You’ve probably come across a few of these pennies in your pocket before, the wheat penny, or wheat cent, is one of the most popular coins to collect in the world of coin collecting.

While many of these pennies aren’t worth much more than face value, there are a good number of them that are worth looking out for!

In good conditions, these little pennies can bring in much more than their face-value.

Keep an eye out for particularly good looking specimens, pennies that exhibit little to no wear on them will fetch a much higher price and earn you more money than worn, circulated coins.

That being said, this list does feature more coins that are worth money in circulated conditions.


So What Pennies Are Worth Money?

1. 1931-S Wheat Penny

Value: $70-$150

Auction Record: $18,600

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (2)

The 1931 S Lincoln Wheat Penny is a key date in the series, with only 866,000 coins minted. Although it may sound like a lot, the average mintage numbers are usually in the millions! This was the last penny minted at the San Francisco Mint until 1935! The 1931 S Wheat Cent was hoarded by many people so it’s relatively easy to purchase uncirculated grades of this coin.

As with most pennies, the ones designated "Red" fetch the highest prices. In 2021, an MS66+RD graded coins (pictured left) sold for $18,600.00!

1931-S Red Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

2. 1917 Doubled Die Wheat Penny

Value: $100-$5,000

Auction Record: $120,000

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (3)

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (4)

The 1917 Double Die Wheat penny exhibits class V doubling, or “pivoted hub doubling. It’s not a very strong doubled die, and the doubling is mostly seen on the date and in the words IN GOD WE TRUST. This is a very popular coin among coin collectors so it’s certainly one to look out for. It may be difficult to see the doubling on worn coins.

In 2019, the finest known specimen of this coin, graded MS67+RD sold for a whopping $180,000!


1917 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

3. 1909-S Wheat Penny

Value: $100-$300

Auction Record: $69,000

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (5)

The 1909 S Lincoln Wheat Penny is a semi-key date. Even still, it’s highly desirable in all grades, though it’s not as popular as the 1909-S VDB variety. This coin had a mintage of 1,825,000.

In 2004, an MS67+RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $69,000.

1909-S Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

4. 1909-S Over Horizontal S Wheat Penny

Value: $120-$350

Auction Record: $32,900

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (6)

The 1909-s over horizontal s is an error coin called an RPM, Repunched Mint Mark. What happened was that the first S was punched into the die in the wrong orientation, and then corrected with a second S. All mint marks were hand-punched into the dies prior to 1990.

In July 2022, an MS67RD graded specimen (pictured left) sold for $32,900!

1909-S over horizontal S Lincoln Wheat Cent

Image courtesy of Legend Rare Coin Auctions

5. 1914-D Wheat Penny

Value: $200-$2,500

Auction Record: $158,625

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (7)

The 1914-D Lincoln Wheat penny is another key date in the series, and is the most valuable non-error penny. With a mintage of 1,193,000 it has one of the lowest mintages in the Wheat Cent series. It can be difficult to find uncirculated coins as they are much more rare. Beware though, this is a popular coin for counterfeiters.

In 2018, an MS66+RD graded coin (pictured left) sold for $158,625.

1914-D Lincoln Wheat Cent

Image courtesy of Legend Rare Coin Auctions

6. 1922-D No D Wheat Penny

Value: $500-20,000

Auction Record: $92,000

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The 1922 D No D Lincoln Wheat cent is the only circulation strike in the entire series that lacks its intended mint mark. At the the time, the Denver Mint was the only Mint producing pennies, and the coins should have the D mint mark. But due to the intense pressure to produce all the coins, the mint suffered from a bit of sloppiness and a batch of wheat pennies never got their mint mark. This is a major variety and extremely popular with collectors, definitely keep an eye out for this valuable penny!

In 2008, an MS64 graded cent sold for $92,000

1922-D no D Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

7. 1909-S VDB Wheat Penny

Value: $700-$1,500

Auction Record: $168,000

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (9)

The 1909 S VDB Lincoln Wheat cent is quite challenging to acquire, definitely one of the most popular in the series. These are often counterfeited however, so authentication is strongly recommended if you happen to find one of these rare coins.

In April, 2022, an MS67RD graded wheat cent sold for an astounding $168,000!

1909-S VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

8. 1955 Doubled Die Wheat Penny

Value: $1,000-$1,800

Auction Record: $114,000

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (10)

The 1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Wheat penny is an extremely famous and naturally very popular penny with collectors. The doubling on this wheat cent is so dramatic it's visible without magnification. There were only approximately 24,000 of these highly desirable coins released into circulation. But as always, a highly desirable coin usually means there are fakes out there. Beware of counterfeit pennies and always get your coin certified if you believe it may be authentic!

In 2018, an MS65+RD graded specimen (pictured left) sold for $114,000.

1955 DDO Lincoln Wheat Cent

Image courtesy of Stacks Bowers

9. 1944 Steel Cent Wheat Penny

Value: $75,000-125,000

Auction Record:

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (11)

The 1944 Steel Wheat cent was created by sheer accident. It’s speculated that either steel blanks from the previous year had been left behind and accidentally struck, or steel blanks from foreign coins that the Mint was producing were mistakenly mixed in with the copper blanks and struck. Either way, a great rarity was created for us! It’s estimated that there is only about 25 to 30 of these coins that exist, which makes it an extremely rare and valuable wheat penny! Beware of zinc-coated copper penny fakes!

In 2021, an MS64 graded coin (pictured left) sold for $180,000.

1944 Steel Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

10. 1943 Bronze Wheat Penny

Value: $100,000-200,000

Auction Record:

Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (12)

The final coin on our list is one of, if not the most coveted coins in America, the 1943 Bronze Wheat Cent. During this time, copper was needed to produce ammo for the war, so the mint ceased production of copper pennies and switched over--for the first, and last time--to steel cents. But several copper planchets were left behind and mistakenly struck with the 1943-dated dies. There are many fraudulent coins, as it is such a valuable penny. You can do a quick test to see if you may have an authentic 1943 bronze cent on your hands. Grab a magnet and try to pick up your penny, if it is attracted, then it is made of copper-plated steel, and counterfeit. If it’s not attracted to the magnet, then you may have an authentic coin on your hands and you’ll want to get it authenticated. In 2021, an MS62BN graded coin (pictured left) sold for $372,000.

1943 Bronze Lincoln Wheat Cent

Imaged by Heritage Auctions, HA.com

10 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies

  1. 1931-S: $70-$150
  2. 1917 Doubled Die: $100-$5,000
  3. 1909-S: $100-$300
  4. 1909-S Over Horizontal S: $120-$350
  5. 1914-D: $200-$2,500
  6. 1922-D No D: $500-$20,000
  7. 1909-S VDB: $700-$1,500
  8. 1955 Doubled Die: $1,000-$1,800
  9. 1944 Steel Cent: $75,000-$125,000
  10. 1943 Bronze Cent: $100,000-$200,000

Looking for more penny values? Check out our penny price guides below!

  • Flying Eagle Pennies
  • Indian Head Pennies
  • Lincoln Wheat Pennies
  • Lincoln Pennies
Top 10 Most Valuable Rare Wheat Pennies Worth Money (2024)

FAQs

Which wheat pennies are most valuable? ›

The 10 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies (cents)
  • 1917 Doubled Die: $3,000 - $6,000.
  • 1955-P DDO: $4,000 - $16,000.
  • 1922-D No D Strong Reverse: $12,000 - $30,000.
  • 1944-P Steel: $50,000+
  • 1944-D Steel: $60,000+
  • 1958-P DDO: $100,000 - $200,000.
  • 1943 Bronze: $300,000+
  • 1943-S Bronze: $500,000+

What wheat back penny is worth $1000000? ›

Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers baseball club, paid $1 million for the finest known 1943-S Lincoln Wheat cent on a bronze planchet. All 1943 Lincoln cents were supposed to be made of steel planchets coated with zinc. However, some bronze planchets left over from 1942 slipped into the production process.

What are the 15 most valuable pennies? ›

Rare Pennies
  • 1914-S Lincoln Penny.
  • 1944-D Lincoln Penny (Zinc-coated steel)
  • 1909-S VDB Lincoln Penny.
  • 1872 Indian Head Penny.
  • 1969-S Lincoln Penny-Doubled Die Obverse.
  • 1926-S Lincoln Penny.
  • 1877 Indian Head Penny.
  • 1914-D Lincoln Penny.
Sep 17, 2022

How do I know if my wheat penny is worth money? ›

All Wheat Pennies are worth at least three times face value, but of course many are worth substantially more especially the key date Wheat pennies. Be on the lookout for the ultra-rare 1909-S VDB. this coin is most sought after by collectors and is most valuable in any grade.

What year penny is worth $1 million? ›

1943 Bronze Lincoln

Only a handful of these bronze pennies have been discovered, including the one found by Lutes. “The most valuable Lincoln cent sold privately in 2010 for $1.7 million,” said Stone. In order to preserve copper for the war effort, the U.S.

What penny is worth $50000? ›

The 1959-D wheat penny is one of the most controversial mule coins ever. It's worth $50,000!

What makes a 1944 wheat penny rare? ›

The 1944 wheat penny is worth roughly 15 cents in average condition, always more than its face value. Some examples of 1944 Wheat Penny are also valuable because they contain errors or are in exceptional mint state condition, which are in high demand by collectors.

What pennies are worth $1000000? ›

Over a Million Dollars for a Copper Lincoln Penny – Kovels

A 1943 zinc-coated steel Lincoln penny is worth less than 10 cents today. But a 1943 one-of-a-kind copper alloy Lincoln penny struck at the Denver Mint was recently sold by a New Jersey coin dealer for a record $1.7 million.

Which year wheat pennies are worth money? ›

Most wheat cents (wheat pennies were minted between 1909 and 1956) are worth about 4 to 5 cents. Those in better condition can have double-digit value. Special 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.

Why is a 1982 penny worth $10000? ›

So for the past 30 years, pennies have been made with an alloy comprised of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, but pennies minted before 1982 are 95% copper and 5% zinc. The price of copper has more than quadrupled over the past 10 years.

What are the best pennies to keep? ›

1. 1943-D Lincoln Wheat Cent Penny: Copper/Bronze. Of all the 1943 copper pennies, only one Denver-minted copper cent is believed to exist, making it one of the rarest U.S. coins to date.

What is a 1943 zinc penny worth? ›

The coin can sell for around 0.15 USD when in a good state. Expect the value to rise to 0.35 USD in fine grade, 0.48 USD in extremely fine form, and sell at 1.50 USD in the uncirculated grade.

What makes a 1957 D wheat penny valuable? ›

1957-D Lincoln Penny

Abundant on the rarity scale, largely due to its third highest mintage number of the wheat series. 1,051,342,000 struck. A 1957-D penny is part of the second collecting era (1934 to 1958) wheat cent.

What makes a 1941 wheat penny valuable? ›

The most expensive type is the 1941 wheat penny double die version, which has the obverse face struck twice. Lower grades of this coin can be valued at over $80 depending on the colour (red being the most valuable), and this value rises sharply in higher grades. MS-60 doubled die variations are worth $500.

Is there a free app to scan coins for value? ›

Coinoscope is a visual search engine for coins. Coinoscope makes coin recognition easy - just snap a picture of a coin with your phone camera and the app will show you a list of similar coins. Click on the coin to see additional information in the web browser of your phone.

What pennies are collectors looking for? ›

List of 25 Most Valuable US Pennies
  • 1.) 1944 Steel Wheat Penny - $408,000.
  • 2.) 1943 Copper Wheat Penny - $250,000.
  • 3.) 1856 Flying Eagle Penny - $25,000.
  • 4.) 1873 Indian Head Penny - $10,000.
  • 5.) 1858 Flying Eagle Penny - $10,000.
  • 6.) 1857 Flying Eagle Penny - $7,000.
  • 7.) 1914 D Wheat Penny - $5,500.
  • 8.)

What year is the richest penny? ›

The Most Expensive Penny

The first 1943 copper cent was sold in 1958 for more than $40,000. In 1996, another went for a whopping $82,500. But those sales pale in comparison with the latest: this week, a dealer in New Jersey sold his 1943 penny for a staggering $1.7 million.

Can a penny be worth 1000 dollars? ›

If you find a 1909 penny with an S on the front and the letters VDB on the back at the bottom, it could be worth nearly $1,000.

What year is the rarest old penny? ›

Arguably the most valuable one penny coin is the 1933 George V penny, which is worth an estimated value of £72,000. Although this was originally created as a pattern coin – which means it is not intended for release into circulation – it is believed seven were issued, making them extraordinarily rare.

Why is the 1943 penny worth $1000000? ›

A 1943 Lincoln penny that soared in value because it was made from the "wrong" material reportedly has sold for $1 million. The penny was erroneously made of bronze instead of zinc-coated steel at the San Francisco Mint, according to UPI news agency. Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R.

Why is the 1999 penny worth so much? ›

It's from 1999 and could be worth $4,500 thanks to a little-known error on it. What you want to look for is a 1999 penny with no mint mark, which means no letter under the year on the heads side.

Which 1943 steel penny is valuable? ›

The 1943 Lincoln Wheat Penny is among the most valuable coins in American coinage. Its value can increase exponentially as a mint error has made it a sought-after collectible for experienced and novice collectors. Determine whether you have a penny worth over a million dollars.

How much is a 1944 copper wheat penny worth with no mint mark? ›

Type: Steel Wheat PennyYear: 1944Mint Mark: No mint markFace Value: 0.01 USDTotal Produced: 0Silver Content: 0% Numismatic Value: $77234 to $110334.00Value: ...

How much is a 1944 steel penny worth today? ›

1944 STEEL Wheat Penny Value

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of January 2023, a Wheat Penny from 1944 in circulated condition is worth between $7500 and $33500. However, on the open market 1944 STEEL Pennies in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $200000.

How much cash is a million pennies? ›

A million pennies equal $10,000. There are 100 pennies, or cents, in each US dollar. To find out how many dollars you could make with 1 million pennies, divide 1 million (the number of pennies you have) by 100 (the number of pennies in one dollar). One million pennies equals 10,000, or ten thousand, dollars.

How much is a 1944 wheat penny worth? ›

How much is a 1944 Wheat Penny worth? This section is more of a layman's guide, for those new to collecting. In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 15 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $6 at auction.

Which year of wheat pennies are worth money? ›

Considered to be the most valuable of the non-error Wheat Pennies, the 1914 D Wheat Penny commands an asking price range from $281 to $4,268.

What are the 20 most valuable wheat pennies? ›

Most Valuable Wheat Pennies
  • 1944 Steel Wheat Penny – $500,000.
  • 1943 Copper Wheat Penny – $100,000.
  • 1914 D Wheat Penny – $10,000.
  • 1922 D Wheat Penny – $6,000.
  • 1926 Wheat Penny – $4,000.
  • 1909 S Wheat Penny – $400.

How much is a 1944 wheat penny worth today? ›

How much is a 1944 Wheat Penny worth? This section is more of a layman's guide, for those new to collecting. In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 15 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $6 at auction.

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