1959 Lincoln Cent Guide: Key Facts And Market Trends

Notes: This was the first non-wheat ear or non wheat penny issued since 1909. The Lincoln Memorial (reverse) was issued from 1959 to 2008. There were 1.1 million proofs issued this year at the Philadelphia. Proofs are selling for up to $4 each in great condition, with pcgs / ngc certified specimens being worth up to $50.

Key Points

Copper Penny Color Guide

When it comes to color RD (red) is the most sought after. Then RB, and finally BN (brown). The redder the better, but its important to get the higher end MS65+ RD certified, as color hue can vary from room to room with lighting.

1959 Penny Errors

Image above details known errors for the 1959 Penny, here is a quick list

• Double Die - Look for doubling of letters and numbers, look closely at the edges.
• Struck on Silver Planchet- Struck on a silver dime planchet. Looks like a dime, but its a penny.
• Off Center Strikes- When planchet and die dont align properly.
• Split Planchet-planchet is split into two pieces before it is struck by the coin die

Price Chart

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

Prices are for 1959 Lincoln Cents that are RD / Red in color.

Price Adjustments Based on Color Variations

General rule of thumb to help you quickly decide the values of a cent based off their color values.

• Red (RD): 100% of the base price.
• Red Brown (RB): 70-80% of the base price.
• Brown (BN): 50-60% of the base price.

You can roughly estimate from the list above that a 1959 MS-65 cent that is BN (brown) in color is worth about half as much as the same coin designated as RD (red) by a trustworthy source.

• Grade MS63 = $2-$3
• Grade MS64 = $4-$6
• Grade MS65 = $10-$16
• Grade MS66 = $23-$38
• Grade MS67 = $38-$63
• Grade PR67 = $15-$25
• Grade PR68 = $26-$44
• Grade PR69 = $75-$125

• Grade MS64 = $3-$5
• Grade MS65 = $7-$11
• Grade MS66 = $16-$26
• Grade MS67 = $26-$44
• Grade PR67 = $11-$18
• Grade PR68 = $18-$30

• Grade MS64 = $2-$3
• Grade MS65 = $3-$5
• Grade MS66 = $11-$19

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 1959 Lincoln Cent Guide: Key Facts And Market Trends worth?

In Average Circulated (AC) condition it's worth around 35 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 1959, 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 lincoln penny in your collection.

Specs & Design

This coin has a total mass of 2.5 g, a diameter of 19.05 mm, and a thickness of 1.52 mm. It's edge is Smooth, and the coins are composed of 95% Copper Pre 1982, 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper after 1982.

Designer: Victor D. Brenner (obv), Lyndall Bass (rev)

Front (Obverse): The obverse or front of this coin contains the bust of President Lincoln the 16th president of the United States. The words In God We Trust are engraved in an arching manner on the top most portion of this coin. The date is present along with the mint mark. If the mark is missing the coin was issued from the Philadelphia mint. With the exception of 2017 P, the only year to contain a P mint mark to honor the 225th anniversary of the United States Mint.

Back (Reverse): The reverse of this coin has been described as Lincoln Memorial design. Nice clean lines on the steps and buildings are important for a decent grade. The Lincoln Memorial replaced the reverse after the last Wheat Cent was issued in 1958.