1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
In the current market, a 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent changes hands for roughly $1.75 at the low end and $567 at the top, and its metal content alone is worth $0.03 as of 2026-06-01 See the grade table below for exactly where your coin falls.
1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $0.03 |
| Good (G-4) | $1.75 to $2.95 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $2.55 to $4.30 |
| Fine (F-12) | $4.40 to $7.45 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $8.00 to $13.50 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $14.50 to $24.50 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $28.00 to $47.50 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $56.00 to $94.50 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $112 to $189 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $336 to $567 |
Estimated retail range, updated 2026-06-15. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Today's value of the 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent starts around $1.75. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $567. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1909
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 27,995,000
- Composition
- 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc (bronze); zinc-coated steel in 1943
- Weight
- 3.11 g
- Diameter
- 19.05 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- Victor David Brenner
Mintage figure: US Mint reports (approximate).
Why there is no letter on this coin
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (On the obverse, below the date on the right side of Lincoln's portrait) is simply blank.
What makes the 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent valuable
At 27,995,000 struck, this is a better date: not a legendary rarity, but clearly harder to locate than the common issues, especially with sharp detail and original surfaces.
Context adds the final layer to the 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent. coin to portray a real person, issued for the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth at the urging of Theodore Roosevelt. Owning this date means owning a piece of that story, and demand for the series as a whole sustains liquidity for every issue in it.
Summary: the 1909 VDB Lincoln Wheat Cent is valued between $1.75 and $567 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.