By 1931 the United States was in the middle of the Great Depression and the San Francisco mint only produced 866,000 Lincoln cents that year. A great many numismatists focus on studying and collecting Lincoln Wheat cents exclusively. Like most coins, the United States penny has seen multiple designs and compositions over the years, and some pennies, especially when carefully stored, are worth far more than the face value of one cent. Here's how to determine the value of your 1926 penny. While the Lincoln Wheat cent is a long-obsolete coin that has been gradually disappearing from circulation over the past decades, it remains one of the first coin collectors begin searching for. Since the late 1800s, only Barber's first initial of his last name ("B") appeared on the coins that he designed. There are a lot of valuable errors on pennies minted from 1920 to 1929, so I made a clear and concise presentation to explain exactly what to look for and th. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. This 1959-D Wheat Penny Is A Mule Coin Worth $50,000 See Why This Mule Error Coin Is So Rare And Valuable! And, because of this, the Lincoln cent reigns to this day as one of the most versatile, beloved coin series. So it seems these naturalized sculptors played a huge and extremely direct role in the economy, and specifically, in many circulating coins that we still use today. Due to problems with producing cents on steel planchets and rejection by the general public, the United States Mint reverted to the original bronze (copper and tin) alloy. All old error coins are pretty scarce, and 1926 wheat pennies struck with errors (and/or containing other oddities) are particularly hard to find. Beware of altered coins made by copper plating genuine 1943 steel cents or from 1948 Lincoln cents by removing the left side of the 8 to make it look like a 3. Silver Content: 0% Numismatic Value: 35 cents to $268 Value: As a rough estimate of this coins value you can assume this coin in poor condition will be valued at somewhere around 35 cents, while one in "perfect" condition can bring $268. Most of the significant off-center coins are only 5 to 10% off, but thats enough to catch the eye and its the eye-catching off-center error coins that are worth some dough. Lets explore some of the errors you might find in a 1926 Wheat Penny to see if theyre worth anything. He asked for Lincolns portrait to be centered for easier minting. What pennies are worth money in 2023. COMB SHIP ~ LOT M48, 1926p Lincoln Wheat Cent. In uncirculated condition the price is around $125 for coins with an MS 60 grade. You can get an extremely fine 1c coin for under $50. Part of the challenge enjoyed by collector is finding a pleasing circulated wheat cent. You will notice some scratching and smoothing, but for the most part all of the major aspects of the coin will be able to be easily identified with the naked eye. Leach agreed, and when Brenner wouldnt do it, Barber did it himself, leaving a lot of blank space at the top of the coin. So while the Lincoln Cent was minted from 1909 to date, coins from the 20s are now a century old so theyre worth way more than contemporary coins. Territories Coin Values, How to Value and Price a Roosevelt Clad Dime, Buffalo (Indian Head) Nickel Values and Prices, Lincoln Wheat penny key dates, rarities,andvarieties, 1909-S VDB (small "S" below the date and "V.D.B." In 1926, the Philadelphia Mint made 157,088,000 Wheat Pennies without mint marks. When struck as a cent a small void is visible just under the date. Old Coin! On the right of the coin, at chest level, youll find the mintage date. Instead, Brenner added his initials "V.D.B." Although very precise in their work, the exact position of the mint Mark tended to vary. Given the high value of this coin, only certified coins from third-party grading services should be purchased. But what is a well-worn example from pocket change worth in reality? 1926 penny value is determined by three main factors: Date | Mint Mark | Condition 1926 penny value is determined by three main factors: Date | Mint Mark | Condition. In the middle uncirculated grades, that same coin can cost thousands. The 1926 S wheat penny is worth around $10 in good condition. Sharp Strike, Set of 3 VF 1926 D, 1928 S, and 1932 D Pennies Rare Key Date Coins, Set of 3 VF 1925 S, 1926 D, and 1928 S Pennies Rare Key Date Coins. Lincoln's portrait is well outlined and a clear date is necessary. 4,500,000 were struck. The BIE error inserts a small slash between the B and E in Liberty which looks like the letter I. Its worth $5 to $15. The 1926-D penny had a lower mintage than its Philly counterpart, with only 28,020,000 pieces struck. Examples include the French-Irish Dublin-born Augustus Saint-Gaudens, who designed the Gold Eagle ($10) and Double-Eagle ($20). As for off-center 1926 pennies, many of the pieces that are about 10% off center are worth $25 to $50. Great coin to fill in your collection. USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1926-S Lincoln Wheat Penny is Worth $14 in Average Condition and can be Worth $251 to $572 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition. For reference, other Lincoln Cents have the Lincoln Memorial (1959 to 2008), the four commemorative bicentennial designs (2009), or the Union Shield (2010 to date). San Francisco 1926 pennies are the standout value issue of the year. Review the uncirculated example image first, it gives a good illustration of the complete amount of original detail on a coin without any wear to the surface. All Rights Reserved. But a broadstrike error can be worth a decent amount, even in low grades. This new design approach was a break from tradition where only the designer's initial from his last name was used on the coin. Therefore, before celebrating your early retirement with your newfound fortune, have the coin authenticated by areputable coin dealeror third-party grading service. Uncirculated coins with a grade of MS 63 can sell for around $500. Subscribe to the JM Bullion newsletter to receive timely market updates and information on product sales and giveaways. Uncirculated coins with a grade of MS 63 can sell for around $170. In uncirculated condition the price is around $215 for coins with an MS 60 grade. 2010 - 2023 USA Coin Book. Grades are defined and used as standards finding values on the chart. Early era cents dated 1909 to 1933 enjoy premium value and demand when displaying positive eye appeal. Barber resisted these new coins, which were pretty but tough to strike. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts, Click here to see the Melt Value of every US Coin, 1926-D LINCOLN WHEAT CENT ( (Combined Shipping)) LOT C591, 1926-D LINCOLN WHEAT CENT ( (Combined Shipping)) LOT C592. US Mint at Philadelphia Tour. 1 oz South African Gold Krugerrand - Random Dates, 2019 Patriot 1 oz Proof Like Silver Round - American Revolution, 1 oz Canadian Platinum Maple Leaf - Random Date, Looking to sell my Pennies 1880s. If your coin looks similar to the one illustrated in the link below and has no evidence of wear due to being in circulation, it is considered anuncirculatedcoin. Lincoln wheat pennies were produced at three different mints: Philadelphia (no mint mark), Denver (D) and San Francisco (S). Absence of wear is key to determining the top grade, uncirculated. These are called BIE errors. Many of the price guides that are available online offer confusing information about what a coin might fetch based on its physical condition. The collar is what forms the rim, and in F15 BN, this 1c sold for $150. Victor D. Brenner designed the coin under the direction of Pres. I love off-center coins You know why? As a result, the reverse dies were remade, and all the initials were removed but not before some coins were minted and released to the public. Copyright 2007-2023 Daniel A. HarrisAll Rights Reserved, https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/publisherdetail/51, https://www.usmint.gov/about/mint-tours-facilities/philadelphia/tour-information, https://www.usmint.gov/learn/collecting-basics/glossary. Made in the United States since 1856, these old pennies worth money coins can give more than a few surprise s as far as their value is concerned. No proofs were made that year. Find a close match of condition by comparing your coin to the images in the grading section below. The latter is graded as RD for red, RB for reddish-brown, or BN for brown, with RD being the best quality. Rare coins such as the 1909-S VDB and 1914-D are the "Holy Grails" of any Lincoln Wheat cent collection. Real Helpful. When we talk about coin-grading we are talking about a professional service that carefully assesses the actual condition of a coin. The obverse (heads side) of the 1926 Wheat Penny features a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. Most Valuable Quarters: A List Of Silver Quarters & Other Rare Quarters You Should Hold Onto! Here are the current values of 1926-D wheat pennies: NOTE: The most valuable 1926-D penny ever sold was graded MS-66 Red by PCGS and sold for $9,600 in 2018. 1926 Wheat Penny It has no mintmark. Given the limited capacity of the San Francisco Mint in 1909, only 484,000 coins were produced. 12 watching. Join us today for FREE! Face Value: $0.01 He faces right in his portrait. These two situations combined for a prime opportunity for the mint to produce this amazing error coin. Unfortunately, there was only enough time left in the year to mint 1,825,000 coins. The 1926 wheat pennies have value as numismatic coins. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Because of the fire, no Lincoln cents were produced in Philadelphia (no mint mark) in 1922. Washington Quarter Key Dates, Rarities, and Varieties, Kennedy Half Dollar Values and Prices (1964-2015), Top 10 Most Valuable U.S. Brenner's redesign was met with some resistance, specifically from Chief Engraver Charles Barber. 1926 wheat pennies are worth anywhere from a few cents to a few thousand dollars. Often, this resulted in the mintmark being struck in 2 distinct positions. Above average examples begin to show separation of lines in the upper wheat stalk area. Old pennies handled with care and well preserved are sought by collectors. San Francisco variety cents are the standout issue. The more off-center (as long as the full date still showing), the more a piece is worth. In this case, a high-end uncirculated 1926-S penny is MANY times rarer than even the 1909-S VDB penny. It seems they got along, and the President asked the US Mint to hire him. Real Experiences. While 1926 was definitely a year of high mintages for the Penny, there was a semi-key Lincoln Penny to come from that year, and it is the 1926-S Lincoln Penny a coin that is actually considered by many to be among the scarcest of regular-issue Lincoln Cents in the uncirculated grades especially. You can find tons of them in good condition. Lincoln Wheat pennies are one of the most popular series of U.S. coins that coin collectors strive to build a complete set. A minute texture gives a mint state coin its brilliance. As mentioned above with the "1909-S Over Horizontal S" mintmarks were added to working dies by manually punching the letter into the softened steel of the die. That's definitely exciting if youve got, say, a 1941 Lincoln cent that could be worth $1,000 or $5,000 in pristine condition. In 1909, there were only 284,000 1909 S VDB wheat pennies produced. In 2021, an MS64 graded coin (pictured left) sold for $180,000. 1927 US Mint Annual Report Brenner learned French and English, attending night school at the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York, and later the Acadmie Julian. Any info would be greatly appreciated. XF. 1926-D Wheat Penny Value 1926 saw 28,020,000 Wheat Pennies coined at the Denver Mint. So the VDB was wiped off and didnt reappear until 1918, one year after Charles Barbers death. 7.) "D" Mintmark Under Date: Denver Mint Struck the Coin. Unscrupulous individuals will try to add the mint mark "S" to the obverse of a Philadelphia minted 1909 VDB Lincoln penny. photo by Joshua at TheFunTimesGuide.com More like this Rare Coins Worth Money Valuable Coins Wheat Penny Value Penny Values Rare Pennies Old Coins Value Wheat Pennies Mix Video Coin Grading Not the case for 1926 Philadelphia Mint and Denver Mint issues, however. Errors like this happen if the die shifts while its being struck by the hub, forming a sort of doubling that is clearest on words or letters. A red uncirculated 1926-S penny has a value of $1,500+. Let's look at 1929 Lincoln wheat penny values. It also provides values for the Wheat penny date ranges not specifically mentioned above. Very nice condition and problem free. While the 1925 and 1927 Wheat Penny are both worth a look-see, the 1926 Wheat Penny isnt especially expensive. A total of 157,088,000 were made, although most of these were spent as money leaving behind relatively few today in uncirculated condition. Lincoln Wheat cents span the years 1909 through 1958. As such, the exact condition these pennies are in will vary dramatically from coin to coin. Here are the current values of 1926 no mintmark pennies: NOTE: One of the most valuable 1926 Lincoln cents from the Philadelphia Mint was graded MS-67+ and graded by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) sold for $2,880 in 2018. Would you mind posting a couple clear photos of your 1935 penny here? Most worn, common-date Lincoln Wheat pennies arent worth more than 10 cents. The most exciting thing is you can find some of these rare, valuable pennies easily because they're still in circulation. Generally speaking, 1926 Wheat Pennies werent carefully struck, so youll often note a hazy lack of detail in his beard and hair strands. Also, click here to Learn About Grading Coins. Look for the remnants of the previous mintmark near the upper loop of the S. This will be more difficult to see if the coin is well circulated and extremely worn. Saint-Gaudens had been tapped by President Theodore Roosevelt to beautify American coins and give them artistic merit. Not many of these trade, so prices are hard to pin down. Im going to share with you all that you need to know about the 1926 Lincoln cent, including: So, lets get right to the bottom of this. I cant find any info about it or any penny weighing that. Today added value is awarded because of the error. A $10,000 1873 Indian Head Penny. He started (and ended) life as Avigdor ben Gershon, the official name that appears on his tombstone. A lightly circulated 1926-S penny is worth $30 to $50. A nicely toned, evenly worn example without any distracting marks, it is a fascinating look into the minting process. But he died of cancer before completing his commission, and Brenner along with other Saint-Gaudens assistants like James Earle Fraser stepped in to complete the task. Can I get someone to look at my collection of wheat pennies from 1911 to 1958. As shown above, Lincoln Wheat penny values range all over the price spectrum. There are no major attributed varieties for 1927 Lincoln Cents, minted at three U.S. Mints: Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Estimated Average Value Uncirculated: $2,200. Knowing which Lincoln Wheat pennies are key dates, rarities or varieties will help you appreciate that a small difference on a coin can mean significant differences in its value. Keep in mind, in 1909 one of the reasons that Lincoln was chosen to be the subject of a new small cent was that it was the 100th anniversary of his birth. Extremely fine- There is only slight wear on the coin. Examine Lincoln's cheek below the eye extending to his ear. Intermediate and advanced coin collectors will learn how to grade Lincoln wheat pennies using the Sheldon scale of 1 to 70. Lincoln Wheat Penny Key Dates, Rarities and Varieties, Kennedy Half Dollar Values and Prices (1964-2015), The 1943-S Copper Penny Found by Kenneth Wing, Lincoln Memorial Penny (1959 to Today) Values and Prices, 50 State Quarters, D.C., and U.S. Any wheat penny is worth at least 4 cents to most dealers. Extra Fine++. A 1927 Penny Worth $10,000? Yes! His less attractive earlier coins were signed with a B for Barber. How to Reap the Best Value When Selling Wheat Pennies. Extremely Fine: A coin that is worthy of an Extremely Fine grade is one that has spent very little time exchanging hands. Coin Value Chart: Typical Coin Prices, Values and Worth in USD based on Grade/Condition. These include: Finally, there are the varieties and errors, which constitute some of the most valuable Lincoln Wheat pennies in the series. 2010 - 2023 USA Coin Book. The major Lincoln Wheat cent key dates include: Then there are the better dates (or better issues)those that may not necessarily rise to the status of being a bona fide semi-key date but are nevertheless more valuable than the common dates. Condition of a coin finds a moving value scale from worn examples to uncirculated examples showing no wear. This post may contain affiliate links. Popularity underpins value of Philadelphia cents. This happened when the die worker was trying to bring up the original impression left by the first punch a little more. Estimated Average Buy Price Uncirculated. 7 Rare Wheat Pennies To Collect & What Theyre Worth Today, This 1982 Copper Penny Is Worth $10,000! Uncirculated Grade: Original surfaces not disturbed by wear is a wheat cent in Mint State - Uncirculated grade. Are you concerned the precious metals train has left the station without you. A chocolate-brown uncirculated 1926-S penny is worth $100 or more. A 1926 Wheat Penny is worth $3,000 in today's money. James Bucki is a nationally-recognized coin collector and numismatic expert and author, sharing his knowledge and specialized training in coin grading, minting errors, and collection techniques. Denver coins are often dismissed as low quality, but in 2018, PCGS auctioned a 1926-D Wheat Penny in MS 66 RD for $9,600. Current 1929 Penny Value. They just look so weird! Yet, even many of the most advanced collectors stick to collecting Lincoln cents throughout their lives. While 1926 doubled die pennies arent as widely known or as popular as the 1955 doubled die cent, there are a few worthwhile things to look for among the 1926 wheat cents. Type: Wheat PennyYear: 1926Mint Mark: No mint markFace Value: 0.01 USDTotal Produced: 157,088,000Silver Content: 0% Numismatic Value: 35 cents to $3000.00Typ. On the left and right hand sides of the reverse will be two single wheat stalks, which explains how the penny got the nickname of the Wheat Penny. Finally, the Latin phrase E Puribus Unum is arching overtop. Ending Thursday at 7:25PM PST 2d 11h. DATE GOOD FINE EXTREMELY FINE UNCIRCULATED; 1926 Lincoln Penny: $0.20: $0.30: $2: $4: 1926 Lincoln Penny (D) $1. This is another coin that is frequently counterfeited and altered. This was removed at the request of Mint Director Frank A. Leech. Of perhaps 16 million survivors, coin experts believe fewer than 20,000 are available in uncirculated condition. A planchet is struck twice or more to ensure all the coin design details are faithfully reproduced. Although this is the second-lowest mintage in the Lincoln Wheat cent series, mint state coins, and circulated specimens are readily available to collectors today. Back in the early days of our nation, artists from other countries played a key role in designing the currency we use today. Therefore, collect coins in the highest grade that you can afford. Also, the replacement would take two weeks!! Examples removed from circulation before heavy wear occurred are in demand by collectors. But the reality is millions of wheat cents were made in 1929, . Join us today for FREE! 1968 Kennedy Half Dollar Value (Rare Errors, D & S Mint Mark), 1974 Eisenhower Silver Dollar Value (Rare Errors, D, S & No Mint Mark). In any condition, the following Lincoln wheat cents are worth considerably more than common wheat pennies. The 1926 D wheat penny is worth around $1.50 in good condition. Ive 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! A slight merging of the temple and the now flattened cheek is beginning.