1930 Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
Today a 1930 Lincoln Wheat Cent typically sells for $0.10 to $38.00, with condition doing most of the work, and its metal content alone is worth $0.03 as of 2026-06-01 Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1930 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 the 1930 Lincoln Wheat Cent selling for 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 1930 Lincoln Wheat Cent can differ in price by an order of magnitude based purely on preservation.
1930 Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1930
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- 157,415,000
- 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 this coin has no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1930 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 1930 Lincoln Wheat Cent valuable
Context adds the final layer to the 1930 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.
At 157,415,000 struck, scarcity is not the story here. Condition is: well-preserved examples with original luster stand far above the worn majority.
Summary: the 1930 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.