Turn coins into cash, NO FEE gift cards, or donations at Coinstar. Find a kiosk location in a grocery store near you. The pre-decimal penny (1d) was a coin worth 1/240 of a pound sterling, or one twelfth of a shilling.Its symbol was d, from the Roman denarius.It was a continuation of the earlier English penny, and in Scotland it had the same monetary value as one pre-1707 Scottish shilling. The penny was originally minted in silver, but from the late 18th century it was minted in copper.

• Penny Coin Collection Books
• Penny Coin Collection
• Penny Coin Values
• Penny Coin Album

The wheat penny is a classic iconic early 21st century American coin with a face value of 1 cent that was minted from 1909 to 1956.

On a personal note we just love searching penny rolls for wheat and indian head pennies. Wheat pennies are still readily found in circulation and because of the relative price of just $25 for a box of these coins, they are cheap and will keep the coin roll searcher on his or her toes.

The Wheat Penny is also known by colelctors as the Wheat Cent. The coin is made out of mostly copper, but steel versions of the coin were issued during World War II.

In 1909 there were V.D.B. and Non V.D.B. marked pennies. VDB were the engraver Victor David Brenners initials. Victor Brenner was a United States sculptor and engraver whos most widely known for...you guessed it...the Penny :) The initials can be found on the reverse of the 1909 coin only. In 1918 they would be added much smaller to the front of the coin near Lincolns shoulder.

All Wheat Pennies are worth more than their face value of .01 cent. A good rule of thumb is that they are worth at least 3 or 4 cents even in poor condition, but those in good condition (not including special years) are worth at least double digit dollars ($10 or more) when purchased or sold in MS-63 condition. Findong a circulated coin in MS-63 is a long shot. You may get lucky and find your Grandma's stash, or maybe pick one up from a bank teller that just got dumped off during the holidays however. So keep your eyes out for a pretty one!

So what are they worth? Well choose a date below and a mint mark and explore for yourself, and be sure to pick up a few rolls of pennies next time you are at the bank.

Please come back and check one of the other coin pages. Share and like on facebook.

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• *list does not count the newer Presidential Dollars

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Circulating Coins

Penny Coin Collection

• Year of Issue: 1793 to Present
• Authorizing Legislation: Coinage Act of 1792

Background

The “Union Shield” theme is the current design of the U.S. one-cent coin. The U.S. Mint first issued this design in 2010. The obverse (heads) shows the image of President Abraham Lincoln used on the penny since 1909. The shield on the reverse (tails) represents Lincoln’s preservation of the United States as a single country.

The penny was one of the first coins made by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792. The design on the first penny was of a woman with flowing hair symbolizing liberty. The coin was larger and made of pure copper, while today’s smaller coin is made of copper and zinc.

Liberty stayed on the penny for more than 60 years. In 1857, the coin got smaller and the metal composition changed to 88% copper and 12% nickel. With these changes came new designs. In 1857 and 1858 the new coins featured a flying eagle on the obverse and a wreath on the reverse. The “Indian Head” design appeared from 1859 to 1909.

In 1909, Abraham Lincoln became the first president featured on our coins in honor of his 100th birthday. The Lincoln penny obverse showed the image of Lincoln designed by Victor David Brenner that is still used today. From 1909 to 1958 the reverse featured two sheaves of wheat. From 1959 to 2008, the reverse was an image of the Lincoln Memorial designed by Frank Gasparro to commemorate Lincoln’s 150th birthday.

In 2009, the Mint issued four different pennies throughout the year as part of the Lincoln Bicentennial One Cent Program. The program recognized Lincoln’s 200th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the first Lincoln cent. The themes on the reverses represented the four major aspects of Lincoln’s life.

Unusual Pennies:

• In 1943, pennies were made of zinc-coated steel because copper was needed during World War II.
• At the beginning of 1943, a limited number of copper pennies were struck by mistake.
• In honor of the Mint’s 225th anniversary in 2017, pennies made in Philadelphia had a “P” mint mark for the first time.
• In 2019, the West Point Mint made special collectible pennies with a “W” mint mark.

Other Circulating Coins:

Nickel Dime Quarter Half Dollar

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Characteristics

Obverse (heads): Shows the familiar likeness of President Abraham Lincoln featured since 1909.
Reverse (tails): First issued in 2010 and emblematic of Lincoln’s preservation of the United States as a single and united country. It features a union shield with 13 vertical stripes and our national motto in a horizontal bar above. A banner drapes across the front.

Obverse Inscriptions

• LIBERTY
• IN GOD WE TRUST
• Year

Reverse Inscriptions

• UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• E PLURIBUS UNUM
• ONE CENT

Penny Coin Values

Mint and Mint Mark

Specifications

Composition	Weight	Diameter	Thickness	Edge	No. of Reeds
Copper Plated Zinc Balance Zn	2.500 g	19.05 mm	1.52 mm	Plain	N/A

Artist Information

Obverse

• Designer: Victor D. Brenner

Reverse

Penny Coin Album

• Sculptor: Joseph Menna, Medallic Artist
• Designer: Lyndall Bass