1957 Wheat Penny

Notes: 1.2 million proof pennies were issued here at the mint in Philadelphia.

In 1957 the United States mint would issue just two cents, one would be issued at the Philadelphia mint (P) and the other at the Denver Colorado mint (D). Both mint issues have relatively the same value if condition and color are the same.

Color Matters?

When collectors categorize copper wheat or Lincoln cents they will also assign a color. While there are realistically many colors, coin graders try their best to assign a color designation of either Red (RD), Red Brown (RB), and Brown (BN). Red is the most coveted of colors and will be the most valuable, with Red Brown being the next most, and finally Brown being the least valuable. See examples of color for the 1957 Penny below.

1957 Penny Color Variations

1957 Cent Conditions

As with any American made coin the coins will be graded according to the coins condition. To learn more about coin grading in general click here.

The best known 1957 penny specimens available will be the MS67+ RD. There were proofs issued that are PR67 Red that have been noted as Deep Cameo (DCAM) or UCAM (Ultra Cameo) as well, but for top end collectors try and get yourself a MS67 or 67+ which have sold for between $9,000 and $25,000 in the recent past.

Odd 1957 Penny Errors

There were some odd errors for pennies in 1957 but here is an image reference for just a few of them. Our favorite is the one struck on a washer. Not sure how that happened, but we wish we had it.

1957 Clipped Planchet $45-$200

Both curved and clipped planchet errors are selling for between $45 and $200 on average. If youre not sure what a clipped planchet error is just google it and look at the images.

1957 DDO/DDR $5-$35

Double Die Obverse and reverse dont seem to be worth much for this year. As a positive it means you can pick up this error coins very reasonably priced usually for a few dollars. Look closely at the letters liberty or the date mark for traces of doubling with a magnifying glass

1957 Struck on Washer $7000

This is a pretty interesting coin. Not sure more than just a handful of these exist. Somehow a washer that you would use with a screw made its way into the mint process and was struck by the 1957 penny die. Due to its rarity this coin sold for more than $7,000 USD.

1957 Struck on Dime Planchet $7,000

This is a pretty interesting coin. Not sure more than just a handful of these exist. Somehow a washer that you would use with a screw made its way into the mint process and was struck by the 1957 penny die. Due to its rarity this coin sold for more than $7,000 USD.

1957 Struck on Silver Dime Planchet $300-$3000

This error is easy to spot, fairly common, and potentially worth a good amount. On the down side its so easy to spot most have already been pulled from circulation. Its a penny that was struck on a silver dime planchet, and its selling for $300-$3000 with the most expensive ones being in proper MS condition.

Price Chart

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

Values listed are for RB (Red Brown) color graded specimens.

• Grade MS62 = $2-$3
• Grade MS63 = $2-$4
• Grade MS64 = $5-$9
• Grade MS65 = $14-$23
• Grade MS66 = $23-$38
• Grade MS68 = $45-$75

Values listed are for RD (Red) color graded specimens.

• Grade MS62 = $3-$5
• Grade MS63 = $5-$8
• Grade MS64 = $8-$13
• Grade MS65 = $19-$31
• Grade MS66 = $32-$54
• Grade MS68 = $68-$113

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.

We've personally researched these values. If you enjoy our content please return the favor and share this page with your friends.

How much is a 1957 Wheat Penny worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 15 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 1957, 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.