1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
A 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition, with a hard melt-value floor of $0.03 as of 2026-06-01 Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
1917 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 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent worth today?
In worn but collectible condition (Good-4), a 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent starts around $0.10. From there, value climbs with every grade step: a gem Mint State example (MS-65) can reach $38.00. Most coins found in old collections fall somewhere between Very Fine and About Uncirculated, the middle rows of the table above.
1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1917
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 196,429,785
- 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).
No mint mark? Here is why
The 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, which used no mint mark in this era. If you find no letter where branch-mint coins carry one (On the obverse, below the date on the right side of Lincoln's portrait), you are holding a Philadelphia issue.
Where this coin's value comes from
With 196,429,785 struck, the 1917 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.
There is history in a 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent as well. The 1955 doubled-die obverse, with its dramatically doubled date and lettering, is the most recognizable mint error ever to reach circulation. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
bust r.
Reverse
Legend within wheat stalks
Measured 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent specimens
1 physically measured 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent example in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the 3.11 g, 19.05 mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1917 Lincoln Wheat Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2080 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.
Summary: the 1917 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.