1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent Value
A 1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent is worth roughly $0.10 to $38.00 depending on its condition. Certified examples in top grades can run far higher.
1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|---|
| 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 1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent worth today?
A 1943-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.
1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent specifications
- Series
- Lincoln Wheat Cent
- Year
- 1943
- Mint mark
- S
- Mintage
- 191,550,000
- Composition
- Zinc-coated steel
- Weight
- 2.7 g
- Diameter
- 19.05 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- Victor David Brenner
Mintage figure: US Mint reports (approximate).
How to find the S mint mark
Identifying a 1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent hinges on one small letter: the "S" of San Francisco. On the obverse, below the date on the right side of Lincoln's portrait Verify it before pricing the coin, because a 1943 from a different mint can be worth a very different amount.
The value drivers behind this coin
The generous mintage of 191,550,000 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.
Context adds the final layer to the 1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent. In 1943 copper went to the war effort and cents were struck in zinc-coated steel; a handful of bronze planchets left in the presses became the legendary 1943 copper cents, worth six figures. 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.
Summary: the 1943-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.