1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
A 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition, while the raw metal inside it is valued at $0.03 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| Melt value floor(metal content, 2026-06-01) | $0.03 |
| Good (G-4) | $0.10 to $0.15 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.10 to $0.20 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.20 to $0.35 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.40 to $0.70 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.80 to $1.35 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.60 to $2.70 |
| Mint State (MS-60) | $3.20 to $5.40 |
| Choice Unc (MS-63) | $7.20 to $12.00 |
| Gem Unc (MS-65) | $22.50 to $38.00 |
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.
How much is a 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent worth today?
At the entry level, well-worn examples bring about $0.10. The same coin in gem uncirculated condition is a $38.00 coin. Grade is everything: two examples of the 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1916
- Mint mark
- D
- Mintage
- 35,956,000
- 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).
Locating the mint mark on this coin
On a 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent, the "D" mint mark of the Denver Mint sits on the obverse, below the date on the right side of Lincoln's portrait. A loupe helps: on worn examples the letter can fade into the surrounding devices.
The value drivers behind this coin
With 35,956,000 struck, the 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent is one of the more available dates of its series. Its value rests on metal content and condition rather than absolute rarity, which makes it an ideal type coin.
coin to portray a real person, issued for the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth at the urging of Theodore Roosevelt. For the 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent, the enduring popularity of the series translates directly into buyers in every grade and every market cycle.
Summary: the 1916-D Lincoln Wheat Cent is valued between $0.10 and $38.00 as of 2026-06-15. Estimates combine mintage rarity, key-date status and metal content; they are editorial guidance, not an offer to buy.