Start with these dates
- 1909-S VDB
- 1909-S
- 1914-D
- 1931-S
Lincoln Cents • 1909–1958 • Buying & Selling
Lincoln Wheat Cents
Wheat cents are affordable pieces of American history—and one of the best places to begin collecting U.S. coins. Learn what to look for, how to sort an accumulation, and which dates deserve a closer examination.
1909–1958Years issued
Victor D. BrennerOriginal designer
Philadelphia • Denver • San FranciscoPrimary mints
Bronze & Zinc-Coated SteelRegular compositions
Collector Guide
What is a Wheat penny?
The Lincoln Wheat cent was introduced in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Lincoln appears on the obverse, while two wheat ears frame the denomination on the reverse. The familiar Lincoln Memorial reverse replaced the Wheat design in 1959.
Collectors commonly call them Wheat pennies, Wheat cents, or Wheat-backs. The series offers nearly everything a collector could want: inexpensive common dates, scarce branch-mint issues, famous key dates, dramatic varieties, condition rarities, and a one-year wartime steel composition.
A date alone does not determine value. Always check the mintmark, condition, color, surfaces, and possible variety before deciding what a Wheat cent is worth.
Coins to Check Carefully
Key Dates, Better Dates & Varieties
This is a practical first-pass list, not a complete variety catalog. Condition can make otherwise common dates valuable, and suspected rarities should be authenticated before purchase or sale.
Set aside for inspection
- 1910-S through 1915-S
- 1911-D, 1912-D and 1913-D
- 1924-D and 1926-S
- Other early branch-mint cents
Authentication matters
- 1909 VDB doubled-die obverse
- 1917 doubled-die obverse
- 1922 No D
- 1936 doubled-die obverse
- 1955 doubled-die obverse
1943 Steel Cents
Regular 1943 cents were struck in zinc-coated steel and should be attracted to a magnet. Reprocessed steel cents and altered dates are common.
1943 Bronze & 1944 Steel
Genuine off-metal transitional errors are major rarities. Many apparent examples are altered or counterfeit. Weight, magnetism, diagnostics, and professional authentication are essential.
Original Red Cents
Even a common date can become valuable in a high Mint State grade with original red color, strong luster, minimal marks, and attractive surfaces.
A Practical Process
How to Sort Wheat Cents
Do not search a large accumulation randomly. A repeatable process makes it easier to find better coins without overlooking mintmarks or damaging original surfaces.
Separate by decade
Make groups for the 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Pull all 1909 cents and 1943 steel cents immediately.
Sort by date and mint
Check below the date for a D or S. Keep each date-and-mintmark combination together so scarcity becomes easier to recognize.
Pull better condition
Set aside cents with sharp wheat lines, strong detail, original luster, red or red-brown color, or unusually clean surfaces.
Check varieties last
Use proper references and magnification. Look for known diagnostics rather than treating every mark, shadow, or machine doubling as a variety.
Do not clean Wheat cents. Polishing, dipping, rubbing, or using household chemicals can permanently damage the surface and sharply reduce collector value. Hold coins by their edges and store promising pieces in inert holders.
Understanding the Market
What makes a Wheat cent valuable?
Wheat cents do not have one universal price. These six factors work together to determine whether a coin belongs in a bulk lot, a collector album, or an individual holder.
Date & Mintmark
Mintage, survival, and demand vary by issue. A Denver or San Francisco mintmark can completely change the value.
Condition
Wear, marks, strike, luster, and eye appeal determine grade. Small differences at higher grades can create large price differences.
Color
Uncirculated copper coins may be described as Brown, Red-Brown, or Red. Original color is important; altered color is undesirable.
Original Surfaces
Collectors generally prefer natural, undisturbed surfaces. Cleaning, corrosion, damage, and artificial color reduce marketability.
Variety
Recognized doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, and other varieties may carry premiums when the correct diagnostics are present.
Quantity & Presentation
A sorted album, original roll, or organized group is evaluated differently from an unsorted bag of common circulated cents.
NumisMaverick
Buying & Selling Wheat Cents
NumisMaverick buys and sells Lincoln Wheat cents at every level, from affordable circulated coins and starter sets to key dates, varieties, original rolls, and certified examples.
If you have Wheat cents to sell, you do not need to know every grade or variety before contacting us. Keeping the coins organized—and leaving them uncleaned—is more helpful than attempting to improve their appearance.
Individual better dates
Circulated groups and rolls
Albums and partial sets
Bags and accumulations
Uncirculated rolls
Certified Wheat cents
Major varieties
Dealer quantities
Common Questions
Wheat Cent FAQ
Are all Wheat pennies valuable?
They all have collector interest, but most circulated 1940s and 1950s examples are common. Scarce dates, varieties, high-grade coins, and original red examples can be worth considerably more.
Where is the mintmark?
When present, the D or S mintmark is below the date on the obverse. No mintmark generally indicates the Philadelphia Mint.
Should I clean old pennies?
No. Cleaning changes the coin’s surface and frequently lowers its value. Leave dirt, toning, and patina alone until the coin has been evaluated.
Are 1943 copper pennies real?
A very small number of genuine 1943 bronze cents exist, but altered dates, copper-plated steel cents, and counterfeits are common. Any suspected example requires expert authentication.
How should I store Wheat cents?
Use inert, coin-safe holders or tubes in a dry, stable environment. Avoid PVC flips, tape, glue, paper envelopes containing sulfur, and excessive handling.
Does NumisMaverick buy bulk Wheat cents?
Yes. We consider rolls, bags, accumulations, albums, collections, better-date groups, and dealer quantities. Contact us with an approximate count and photographs.
Buying • Selling • Appraisals
Talk with NumisMaverick
Looking for a Wheat cent, selling an accumulation, or trying to understand a collection? Contact NumisMaverick. Appointments are scheduled in advance.
Please contact NumisMaverick before visiting.
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