1935-S Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
A 1935-S Lincoln Wheat Cent is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition; the melt floor under every example is $0.03 (spot prices as of 2026-06-01) Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1935-S 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 1935-S Lincoln Wheat Cent worth today?
A 1935-S Lincoln Wheat Cent that spent decades in circulation is worth about $0.10 today. One that never circulated at all can bring up to $38.00. The honest answer for most inherited or pocket-found examples sits in the lower half of the table.
1935-S Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1935
- Mint mark
- S
- Mintage
- 38,702,000
- 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
To confirm your 1935 coin is the San Francisco issue, find the small "S". On the obverse, below the date on the right side of Lincoln's portrait The mark is small, so tilt the coin under a light if it is not obvious.
What makes the 1935-S Lincoln Wheat Cent valuable
The generous mintage of 38,702,000 keeps this date affordable. That availability is an asset for collectors: it is the textbook choice for owning the Lincoln Wheat Cent design without a key-date price tag.
There is history in a 1935 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.
Summary: the 1935-S 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.