1909-S Lincoln Cent

The 1909-S Lincoln Wheat Penny had a mintage of 1,825,000. These 1909-S Lincoln Cent coins are 95% copper and 5% zinc and tin. Each of these coins have a diameter of 19mm. We use strict Photograde standards when grading all of our coins. You can view the grading guidelines on the main Lincoln Cents page of the website. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for your order to leave our offices as each coin must be inspected and graded prior to packaging.

What's a 1909-S wheat penny worth?

The 1909-S is the semi-key of the very first year of Lincoln cents. With a mintage of just 1,825,000, even a well-worn example typically brings around $100 in Good, climbing to roughly $215 in AU, about $310 in lower Mint State, and over $1,200 for a gem MS65 red — don't confuse it with the far pricier 1909-S V.D.B., which carries the designer's initials on the reverse.

Check yours: look for the “S” mint mark under the date and a plain wheat-ears reverse with no “VDB”. Altered mint marks are common on this date, so buy it certified — every coin we sell is inspected first.

Browse our full wheat penny collection or read our guide to buying wheat pennies.

Values: NGC and PCGS CoinFacts.