1917 Wheat Penny

Notes: 1917 San Francisco minted Lincoln Cents in MS65 condition and Red have an average auction sale price of $6000. RB and Brown versions of this coin in similar conditions are worth between $1500 and $400.

The 1917 Lincoln cent is part of the Lincoln cent series, which began in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The penny features a portrait of Lincoln on the obverse (front) and two wheat ears on the reverse (back).

1917 Copper Penny Color Guide

Dimensions

• Diameter: 19.05 mm (0.75 inches)
• Thickness: 1.55 mm (0.061 inches)
• Weight: 3.11 grams (0.11 ounces)

Mintage Numbers (see graph below)

• 1917 Philadelphia (no mint mark): 196,429,000 minted
• 1917 D Denver (no mint mark): 55,120,000 minted
• 1917-S San Francisco: 32,620,000 minted

How much is a 1917 Wheat Penny worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 75 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $425 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say Average Circulated, we mean in a similar condition to other coins circulated in 1917, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. *** [?].

What are your coins really worth?

Use the handy-dandy calculator below to find the real value of any wheat penny in your collection.

Specs & Design

This coin has a total mass of 3.11 g, a diameter of 19.05 mm, and a thickness of 1.55 mm. It's edge is smooth, and the coins are composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc..

Designer: Victor D. Brenner

Front (Obverse): The front or obverse of this coin contains the bust of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. If a mint mark is present it will be on the bottom right just under the year. If no mint mark is present the coin was minted in Philadelphia. With D standing for Denver, and S standing for San Francisco. The words IN GOD WE TRUST follow the top arch of the coin nicely framing Lincolns head, and the word LIBERTY sits just left of President Lincolns Colar.

Back (Reverse): The reverse of the Wheat Penny, also known as the Wheat Cent contains two wheat stalks, the words One Cent, and the Latin phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM which means Out of many, one. The reverse image would later change in 1959.