1909-S Wheat Penny: Why is this coin worth $1.8 million special?

The 1909-S Wheat Penny is one of the few and rarest coins to be found today in the United States or in the whole world for that matter. Due to its scarcity and historical value people will be willing to collect them at any cost.

Most people may not consider pennies special, but some editions such as this 1909-S Wheat Penny are can sell for a lot of money. As of now, this coin is valued at $1,799,920; it’s crucial to understand what makes this such an incredible coin – or affectionately referred to simply as the ‘coin’.

1909-S VDB Wheat Penny

This particular penny is more so popular and precious than any of the others that come in the Wheat Penny series. It was Wheat Penny’s first year of circulation and the initials of its designer, Victor D. Brenner, were engraved on the back side of the coin. Before the design of the back was changed only 484, 000 were produced which is why the bill is quite valuable now.

1943 Copper Wheat Penny

The Copper wheat Penny of the class ‘1943 ‘ is another valuable piece since most of the cents produced during World War II were on steel in order to save on the limited copper. Only a few of the copper pennies were manufactured by mistake, and they became the object of hoarding and collectors’ unrealistically high expectations of rarity.

1914-D Wheat Penny

Also valuable is this penny because of very little number of them minted. Less than 1.2 million of these coins were struck, and it is highly sought when it is in circulated condition. Due to it rarity, the 1914-D Wheat Penny is also quite sought after in the market especially if not damaged in any way.

1922 No D Wheat Penny

The 1922 ‘No D’ Wheat Penny is a mint error from Denver minting. It does not have the ‘D’ mint mark which means that this coin was made in the Denver mint. One of the misprints was made due to over polishing of a die which resulted in obliteration of the mint mark. That is why the fact that this coin is relatively rare contributed to its great value for collectors.

1931-S Wheat Penny

The Wheat Penny of 1931-S was produced in extremely limited quantities of about 866 thousand coins making the coin one of the scarcest in the series. There are quite a few reasons why collectors can appreciate this and these include; There are few of these pennies in circulation and secondly; It is almost impossible to find good sets of these pennies.

1917 Double Die Wheat Penny

The 1917 Double Die Wheat Penny evolved from a double die error on the coins face or obverse side. That is why coins with such an error are considered rare and when they are offered for sale in good physical condition they attract collectors and significantly increase the price.

1910-S Wheat Penny

While not as extremely rare as some of the others on this list, the 1910-S Wheat Penny is still a very sought after coin. As coins go, it is quite rare as only 6 million were produced and it is quite easy to find one if you know where to look.

Here is the table based on the information you provided:

Coin NameScarcityValueMintageUnique Features
1909-S VDB Wheat PennyExtremely RareUp to $1.8 million484,000VDB initials
1914-D Wheat PennyRare$100,000+1.2 millionDesign error
1943 Copper Wheat PennyRare$200,000+Only a few mintedSteel during WWII
1922 No D Wheat PennyRare$90,000+Only a few mintedNo “D” mint mark

FAQs

Q. What’s special about the 1909-S VDB Wheat Penny that makes it so pricey?

A. The 1909-S VDB Wheat Penny is special to collectors for a couple of reasons; it has a low mintage and it was the first of the Wheat Penny series that was produced.

Q. What sets the 1943 Copper Wheat Penny apart as Special?

A. Much of the 1943 pennies was made of steel due to the shortage of copper metallic elements during World War II. A few of the copper pennies were minted because of some error and therefore they are so rare and very expensive.

Q. Is there any way of knowing whether the penny in your possession is actually the 1917 ‘Double Die’?

A. The obvious sign of doubling is noticeable on the obverse side of the 1917 Double Die Wheat Penny. Because the layering turns into doubling, you can normally observe it with the unaided eye or with the use of a lens.

Q. Where can I sell my wheat coin?

A. Of course, you can sell the rare Wheat Penny in numismatic stores, through eBay or consignment auctions. For the best value of the coin, make sure you get it graded by a professional service.

Q. What should be done if someone finds a rare Wheat Penny?

A. If you manage to obtain a special Wheat Penny, it is useful to send the piece to grading service to have it authenticated and graded. This will help you understand its worth and if it has some defects you’ll be able to negotiate for a fair price in case you want to sell it.

Leave a Comment