1942 United States Cent Value
A 1942 United States Cent is worth roughly its melt value to well into four figures depending on its condition. Exceptional, certified pieces regularly exceed the top of that range.
1942 United States Cent value by grade
| Grade | Estimated value |
|---|
Estimated retail range. Estimates are modeled from mintage rarity and metal content, not auction records. Actual sale prices vary with certification, eye appeal and market timing.
Current 1942 United States Cent value
The market for the 1942 United States Cent is driven by condition above all.
1942 United States Cent specifications
- Series
- United States Coinage
- Year
- 1942
- Mint mark
- None (Philadelphia)
- Mintage
- Not recorded
- Composition
- Bronze
Why this coin has no mint mark
No mint mark is the mark here: the 1942 United States Cent comes from the main Philadelphia Mint, which left its coins unlettered in this era. The position where branch mints placed their letter (varies by series) is simply blank.
What makes the 1942 United States Cent valuable
Official mintage figures for the 1942 United States Cent are not well established. The museum-documented specimens behind our specifications provide the physical reference points for the issue, and the market prices it on observed scarcity.
There is history in a 1942 United States Coinage as well. Documented United States coin types preserved in museum collections, with measured specifications for each date, denomination and mint. That backdrop keeps the series among the most actively collected in American numismatics.
1942 United States Cent inscriptions & design
Obverse
IN GOD WE TRUST / LIBERTY / (date)
Lincoln bust r., motto top, date l.
Reverse
E PLURIBUS UNUM / ONE CENT / UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
two wheat stalks
Measured 1942 United States Cent specimens
3 physically measured 1942 United States Cent examples in our reference database. Real measured weights and die axes let you authenticate a coin against the g, mm minting standard.
| Specimen | Weight | Diameter | Die axis | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1942 United States Cent #1 | - | - | - | Breen.2162 |
| 1942 United States Cent #2 | - | - | - | Breen.2160 |
| 1942 United States Cent #3 | - | - | - | Breen.2159 |
Specifications compiled from documented museum specimens. See our data & methodology page.