1951 Wheat Penny

Notes: 1951 was just the 2nd time since the war ended that the US Mint had issued proof pennies. They issued just 57 thousand of these coins and due to their significance they are worth around $80 in perfect condition.

When it comes to Wheat Cents, and or Lincoln Cents in general the Redder the better. There are 3 color distinctions used in regards to copper cents, and they are; Red (RD), Red Brown (RB), and Brown (BN). The most valuable of the 3 is the Red. So a certified Red (RD) copper cent is worth more than a certified Red Brown, and a Red Brown is worth more than a certified Brown.

The whole thing can be a bit confusing so to help you out we have created a Copper Cent Color guide to assist you in deciding what color your coin should be described as.

Copper Penny Color Guide

Price Chart

Rates listed here refer to professionally graded and slabbed coins. If new to collecting the prices below might not make sense.

Breakdown of pricing per condition for 1951 Wheat Penny by individual grade.

• Grade MS61 = $2-$3
• Grade MS62 = $34-$56
• Grade MS63 = $6-$10
• Grade MS64 = $38-$63
• Grade MS65 = $49-$81
• Grade MS66 = $86-$144
• Grade PR64 = $45-$75
• Grade PR65 = $53-$88
• Grade PR66 = $83-$138
• Grade PR67 = $188-$313

Is the list above a little overwhelming? If so, take 5 minutes to learn all about Coin Grading.

It's also important to note...Prices are subject to the same supply and demand laws as everything else. Coins sold at the same auction house 10x, would fetch drastically different bids each session. To raise your chances of receiving top dollar read How to Get the Most for your Coins.

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How much is a 1951 Wheat Penny worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 25 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $25 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 1951, 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.