Wheat Penny Values: Complete Price Guide (1909-1958)

Wheat pennies are the most common valuable find for metal detectorists. Minted from 1909 to 1958, these Lincoln cents with wheat stalks on the reverse turn up regularly in parks, yards, and old homesteads. Most are worth a few cents—but the right date can be worth hundreds or even thousands.

Here’s your complete guide to wheat penny values, with a focus on what you’ll actually find in the ground.

Quick Value Guide: What’s Your Wheat Penny Worth?

Common Dates (Most of What You’ll Find)

Condition	Value
Poor/Worn (typical dug condition)	$0.03-0.05
Good (readable date)	$0.05-0.10
Fine (some detail visible)	$0.10-0.25
Very Fine+	$0.25-1.00+

Key Dates: The Wheat Pennies Worth Real Money

The Big Three ($100+)

Date	Mintage	Value (Good)	Value (Fine)
1909-S VDB	484,000	$800+	$1,200+
1914-D	1,193,000	$250+	$500+
1922 No D	Unknown	$600+	$1,000+

Semi-Key Dates ($10-$100)

Date	Value (Good)	Notes
1909-S	$100+	Without VDB initials
1909 VDB	$15+	Philadelphia mint (no mint mark)
1911-S	$35+	Low mintage
1912-S	$25+	Low mintage
1913-S	$15+	Low mintage
1914-S	$25+	Low mintage
1915-S	$20+	Low mintage
1922-D (Weak D)	$25+	D barely visible
1924-D	$35+	Low mintage
1926-S	$10+	Low mintage
1931-S	$100+	Depression-era rarity
1933-D	$4+	Low mintage

The Error Coins (Potential Jackpots)

Error	Value	How to Identify
1943 Bronze	$100,000+	Copper color (should be steel)
1944 Steel	$75,000+	Steel color (should be copper)
1955 DDO	$1,000-$50,000	Obvious doubling on date and lettering
1958 DDO	$300+	Doubling on “IN GOD WE TRUST”
1922 No D	$600+	1922 with no mint mark (Strong Reverse)

How to Check Your Wheat Pennies

Step 1: Check the Date

Use a magnifying glass if needed. Dates from 1909-1915 and 1920s are most likely to be valuable.

Step 2: Check for Mint Mark

Look below the date on the obverse (front):

No mint mark: Philadelphia (most common)
D: Denver
S: San Francisco (often more valuable)

Step 3: Check for Errors

1943: Use a magnet. Real 1943 steel cents stick to magnets. If it doesn’t stick and looks copper, you might have a $100,000 coin.
1955: Look for doubled letters on “LIBERTY” and “IN GOD WE TRUST”
1922: Look carefully for any trace of “D”—a true “No D” has no D whatsoever

Year-by-Year Value Chart

1909-1919 (Early Years)

Generally worth $0.50-$5+ in average condition. Watch for S mint marks.

1920-1929 (Roaring Twenties)

$0.10-$2 typical. 1922 No D and 1924-D are key dates.

1930-1939 (Depression Era)

$0.05-$1 typical. 1931-S is the big one. 1933-D also semi-key.

1940-1958 (Final Years)

$0.03-$0.50 typical. 1943 steel cents interesting. 1955 DDO is valuable. 1958 is the last year.

What Affects Value

Condition Grades

Good (G): Date visible, heavily worn
Very Good (VG): Some wheat stalk detail visible
Fine (F): Moderate wear, details visible
Very Fine (VF): Light wear on high points
Extremely Fine (EF): Slight wear only
About Uncirculated (AU): Minimal wear
Uncirculated (MS): No wear (rare from ground)

Color (For Uncirculated)

Red (RD): Original copper color—most valuable
Red-Brown (RB): Partial original color
Brown (BN): Fully toned—least valuable for uncirculated

What to Do With Your Wheaties

Valuable Finds (Key/Semi-Key Dates)

Don’t clean—ever
Store in protective holder
Get professionally graded if worth $50+
PCGS or NGC are the trusted services

Common Dates

Save them in a jar or album
Sell in bulk when you have enough (5-10 cents each)
Give to young collectors to spark interest
Keep the nice ones for your personal collection

Where to Sell Wheat Pennies

Key dates: Auction houses, major coin dealers
Semi-keys: Local coin shops, eBay
Common dates in bulk: Coin shops pay 3-5 cents each; eBay lots

Found a key date? Share your story in the comments!