---
title: "1969-S Doubled Die Penny Value: Is Yours the Rare One?"
description: "The 1969-S doubled die obverse cent is one of the rarest modern US coins. Auction results, how to identify it and why most claimed examples are not real."
canonical: https://dimehound.app/coins/1969-s-doubled-die-penny-value/
author: Mike Moore
published: 2026-10-08
modified: 2026-10-08
values_checked: Oct 8, 2026
---

# 1969-S Doubled Die Penny Value: Is Yours the Rare One?

By Mike Moore. Published Oct 8, 2026. Updated Oct 8, 2026. Canonical page: https://dimehound.app/coins/1969-s-doubled-die-penny-value/

A genuine 1969-S doubled die penny is a major rarity: fewer than 100 are believed to have been struck, and certified examples have sold for $54,625 to $601,875. Almost every 1969-S penny you find is a normal coin worth a few cents. Bold doubling on the date and lettering is required, and the S mint mark is not doubled.

- **How many:** Fewer than 100 believed struck (CoinWeek). About 50 have been found so far (PCGS).
- **Mint mark:** S, under the date. The S itself is not doubled.
- **What is doubled:** The date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, boldly.

## Value by grade

**1969-S doubled die cent auction results**

| Grade | Price | Sale |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AU55 | $54,625 | Heritage, 2009 |
| MS64 RD | $126,500 | 2008 auction |
| MS66 RD | $601,875 | GreatCollections, Jan 22, 2023 (record) |

Auction results as listed by PCGS CoinFacts. There is no meaningful retail price guide because so few exist. Values checked Oct 8, 2026.

## What to look for

- The doubling is strong enough to see without magnification on the date and on LIBERTY.
- The S mint mark under the date is single, not doubled.
- Normal 1969-S pennies are extremely common. San Francisco struck hundreds of millions that year.

## Fakes and lookalikes

- Machine doubling on 1969-S cents is very common and looks like a flat shelf next to the letters. It adds no value.
- Counterfeit 1969-S doubled die cents were made soon after the variety became known, and fakes still circulate.
- Any 1969-S you think is real needs PCGS or NGC certification before anyone will pay a premium.

## Find my keepers

Dime Hound is a coin scanner for iPhone and Android. Join the waitlist at https://dimehound.app/coins/1969-s-doubled-die-penny-value/#keepers and we'll email you once, the day it launches.

## FAQ

### What is a normal 1969-S penny worth?

About face value in circulated condition. USA Coin Book lists the regular 1969-S at $1.24 in MS65 red.

### How rare is the 1969-S doubled die?

Very. Fewer than 100 are believed to have been struck, and a few dozen are known.

### Is my 1969-S penny a doubled die if the letters look blurry?

Almost certainly not. Blurry or flat doubling is machine doubling. The real coin shows two complete, rounded sets of letters and numbers.

## Related coins

- [1955 Doubled Die Penny Value: What a Real One Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1955-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1972 Doubled Die Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1972-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1995 Doubled Die Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1995-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1982 Penny Value: Copper, Zinc, Large Date and Small Date](https://dimehound.app/coins/1982-penny-value/)
- [1999 Wide AM Penny Value: How to Spot It](https://dimehound.app/coins/1999-wide-am-penny-value/)

## Sources

1. [PCGS CoinFacts, 1969-S 1C Doubled Die Obverse](https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/2921)
2. [CoinWeek, rare 1969-S DDO Lincoln cent](https://coinweek.com/rare-1969s-ddo-lincoln-cent-buyers-seeing-double/)
3. [USA Coin Book, Lincoln Memorial cent values](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/small-cents/lincoln-memorial-cent/)

Values are retail estimates or recorded sale prices from the sources above, checked Oct 8, 2026. What a dealer pays you is usually less than retail.