1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
Depending on how well it survived, a 1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent brings anywhere from $0.10 to $38.00, and its metal content alone is worth $0.03 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1929 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.
What is a 1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent worth right now?
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 1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1929
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 185,262,000
- 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).
The missing mint mark, explained
The 1929 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.
What makes the 1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent valuable
Context adds the final layer to the 1929 Lincoln Wheat Cent. Billions of wheat cents survive, and most circulated examples carry modest premiums, yet the series rewards careful eyes: semi-keys like the 1909-S, 1914-D, and 1931-S, plus condition rarities in full red Mint State, give the humble cent surprising depth. 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.
A large mintage of 185,262,000 means this issue is common in circulated grades. The interesting money starts in Mint State, where quality, not quantity, sets the price.
Summary: the 1929 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.