Valuable Wheat Pennies

I don't know about you, but I would trade a penny for a few thousand dollars any day. I want to go over some of the rarest wheat pennies you could ever have and some that are very valuable. The wheat cent was produced from 1909-1958. It is an American penny worth 1/100th of a dollar. In 1909, the last Indian head penny was made and in the same year the first wheat cent was produced also.

The wheat penny was produced in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The Denver Mint marked their pennies with a "D", San Francisco with a "S", and the Philadelphia Mint didn't mark their wheat pennies, therefore there is no mark on the wheat pennies from Philadelphia. When you are looking for rare and valuable coins, these mint marks have a lot to do with the value or your coins.

Below is a list of the rarest wheat pennies that were ever made. And usually, if a coin is rare, it is very valuable. Many people began to hoard wheat pennies when the reverse was changed in 1959. Reverse is a coin term meaning, "the back of the coin". The front of the coin is often called the obverse.

1909 S VDB Wheat Penny

This wheat penny is the cream of the crop. This penny was produced at the San Francisco Mint and there were only 484,000 of these wheat pennies made. The main reason they are rare is because of the 'VDB" that was marked on the back of the coin. These were the initials of the designer of the coin. Almost as soon as this design was released, they changed it because people didn't like that Victor David Brenner's initials were easily seen on the coin. Thus, a rare coin was made. Over the years, the coin has become very valuable. Even if you have one that is in rough condition, it can get you a few hundred dollars. If you have one that is in great shape, the value can reach the thousands. Value $400-$4,000+

1909 S Wheat Penny

In 1909, once the VDB initials were removed, the San Francisco Mint produced 1,825,000 of these coins without the VDB initial. They have now become rare and they are worth a hefty price even in rough condition. Even in low grade, this penny can be worth $100. The price increased to a few hundred dollars if you are able to find one that is in great shape.

1914 D Wheat Penny

The 1914 D wheat penny has become rare over the years and is in high demand when it comes to completing a entire wheat penny collection. Even in a low grade, this penny can be valued between $125-$200. If you are able to get one in great condition, it would be a closer value near $400-$600.

1922 Wheat Penny

In 1922, a few pennies escaped the Denver Mint without the "D" mint mark on the front of the penny. You have to pay close attention to make sure the "D" hasn't been rubbed off due to constant circulation. If you can prove that it hasn't, you have a penny that is worth $420 even in a low grade. The value can rise near $1,000 for a great graded coin.

1931 S Wheat Penny

In 1931, the San Francisco Mint only produced 866,000 wheat pennies for the year. Today, they are very scarce. Many people have trouble finding these coins in good grade. Even in low grade, you can receive $50 for your wheat penny. The value is well over a $100 for a coin in a higher grade.

1943 Copper Wheat Penny

Out of all wheat penny types, this one has the highest value. In 1943, the U.S. Mint produced pennies made out of steel to conserve copper for World War II. A very small handful of pennies were made with copper. In return, a very rare coin was made. If you are lucky enough to find a 1943 wheat penny made out of copper, the value can be around $100,000. No joke. It is believed that there are still some out there somewhere.

1955 Double Die Wheat Penny

In 1955, one of the rarest wheat penny error coins were made. You will be able to tell immediately if you have found one of these pennies. The strong doubling on the date and on "IN GOD WE TRUST" is very easy to see on the front of the coin. Even in low grade, the coin is valued near $1,000. The value can reach the thousands if you are able to provide one in great grade.

Pennies are the easiest coin to collect because in most cases they are cheap to obtain. Many people have hoarded wheat pennies for years now. It can be a real joy looking through your old wheat pennies. They can still be found in circulation today. They are the perfect coin to start a collection. Remember, it is never to late to start collecting coins. Thank you for your time and please come back as we continue to add articles about old coins.