---
title: "Wheat Penny Value: Which 1909 to 1958 Pennies Are Worth Money"
description: "Most wheat pennies are worth a few cents. Values for common dates, the key dates worth hundreds or more, and how to sort a jar fast."
canonical: https://dimehound.app/coins/wheat-penny-value/
author: Mike Moore
published: 2026-10-08
modified: 2026-10-08
values_checked: Oct 8, 2026
---

# Wheat Penny Value: Which 1909 to 1958 Pennies Are Worth Money

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

Most wheat pennies (1909 to 1958) are worth about 6 to 12 cents in circulated condition and under 50 cents in About Uncirculated. A handful of key dates and errors are worth far more, led by the 1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 No D, 1931-S and 1955 doubled die. Sort by date and mint mark first.

- **Years:** 1909 to 1958. The back shows two wheat stalks.
- **Mint mark:** Under the date: D for Denver, S for San Francisco, none for Philadelphia.
- **Metal:** Copper alloy every year except 1943, which is steel.

## Value by grade

**Common wheat cents versus key dates**

| Coin | Good (G4) | Very Fine (VF20) | Uncirculated (MS60) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Common 1940s and 1950s dates | - | About $0.06 (F12) to $0.12 | - |
| 1909-S VDB | $860 | $1,187 | $2,033 |
| 1909-S | $103 | - | - |
| 1914-D | $207 | $344 | $2,683 |
| 1922 No D | $556 | $929 | $10,608 |
| 1931-S | $92 | $123 | $217 |
| 1955 doubled die | $790 | $1,523 | $5,625 |

Retail values from USA Coin Book. Blank cells mean we did not pull that grade for this table. Values checked Oct 8, 2026.

## What to look for

- Sort by date first. Pull every 1909, 1914, 1922, 1931, 1943, 1944 and 1955.
- Check mint marks under the date on the ones you pulled.
- The rest are common. They usually sell in bulk by the roll or by the pound, not one at a time.

## Fakes and lookalikes

- Key dates get faked with added or removed mint marks and altered dates. See the page for each coin for what to check.

## Find my keepers

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

## FAQ

### How much is a wheat penny worth?

Most are worth about 6 to 12 cents in circulated condition. Key dates and errors are the exceptions.

### Which wheat pennies are worth the most?

The 1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 No D, 1931-S, 1955 doubled die, and the 1943 copper and 1944 steel errors.

### Should I clean my wheat pennies?

No. Cleaning lowers the value of any coin a collector would pay a premium for.

### Are 1958 wheat pennies valuable?

Normal ones are common. The 1958 doubled die obverse is a famous rarity with only 3 known.

## Related coins

- [1909-S VDB Penny Value: What the Key Date Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1909-s-vdb-penny-value/)
- [1914-D Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1914-d-penny-value/)
- [1922 No D Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1922-no-d-penny-value/)
- [1955 Doubled Die Penny Value: What a Real One Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1955-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1943 Steel Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-steel-penny-value/)
- [1943 Copper Penny Value: Is Yours the Real One?](https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-copper-penny-value/)

## Sources

1. [USA Coin Book, Lincoln wheat cent values](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/small-cents/lincoln-wheat-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.