1912 Wheat Penny Coin Value Lookup

The Lincoln cents have come in a few varieties since the US Mint produced the first Wheat penny in 1909. The goal was to celebrate this President's jubilee hundredth birthday, and the tradition has continued at an interval of fifty years.

The 1912 penny coin value is connected to several facts that make them collectible. These pennies were the first in American history to depict a genuine person on the obverse side. Besides, they belonged to the early period since that was the fourth year of this coin production.

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History of the 1912 Wheat Penny

The first Wheaties (Lincoln cents with wheat ears) were realized into circulation in 1909, meaning those minted in 1912 belong to the fourth set. These coins are historically significant as the first US coinage with a real person, the President at that, on the obverse.

That was an idea of President Roosevelt, who asked Victor D. Brenner to create the American coin in honor of his assassinated predecessor. The entire designer solution was perfect, except for oversized initials. After public outcry, they were quickly removed, making coins with VDB letters highly collectible nowadays.

Besides, traditionalists were against this monarchical custom of representing the ruler on money. Luckily, Lincoln's popularity was huge, making this resistance negligible. A new type of American coinage came to stay and gained more and more supporters over time until it became standard.

1912 Wheat Penny Value Guides

In 1912, the US Mint issued 82,995,060 Lincoln pennies. The primary mint in Philadelphia produced regular coins and proofs without the mint mark. The other two released into circulation only pieces from regular strikes with the struck mint mark.

1912 No Mint mark Wheat Penny Value

The mintage of 68,150,915 Wheat pennies without the mint mark was the highest in 1912, so you can expect these coins to be affordable despite their age. You can find the least appreciated brown pieces starting at $1, while those in AU grade cost approximately $21 to $28.

Even pennies in uncirculated condition are available for less than $100. On the other hand, you should set aside $42 to $450 for red-brown specimens, depending on their ranking.

The most collectible red pennies' value varies, and they can be worth $75 to $90 (coins in MS 63 grade), while those ranked MS 67 reach $4,900 to $5,880. The most expensive 1912 Lincoln red penny in the highest grade was sold in 2006 for $21,850.

1912 proofs Wheat Penny Value

Besides standard pennies, the Philadelphia mint issued 2,145 proofs for collectors in 1912. They are expensive nowadays, and you should pay $360 to almost $2,000 for one. However, specimens in PR 67 grade are particularly valuable and cost from $6,000 to $7,000.

Red-brown 1912 pennies are slightly more expensive than brown pieces, but the real deal is red ones. The most affordable coins with matte finish are those with PR 63 ranking, and you should set aside $675 to $810 to get one.

On the other hand, cents in PR 66 often reach $18,000 to $22,500. The costliest are rare PR 67-ranked specimens with an average price of $32,000 to $40,000.

1912 D mint mark Wheat Penny Value

The mint in Denver had the second-highest penny production of 10,411,000 coins. A price range for circulated pieces is $6 to $126, while those in the mint state cost more. The final price depends on their toning, appearance, and preservation.

Brown specimens are worth $135 to $540, while you need to pay approximately $265 to $750 for red-brown coins. The situation with red pieces is specific.

Red pennies in MS 63 grade cost $300 to $360, while those ranked MS 66 can reach $3,200 to $4,800 at auctions. Believe it or not, the costliest specimen was sold at $34,500 in 2005.

1912 S mint mark Wheat Penny Value

Although they are the rarest due to their low mintage of 4,431,000 coins, San Francisco pennies are not always the most expensive. You can buy circulated brown pieces for $12 to $130, while those in the mint state cost $140 (MS 60) to $780 (MS 65).

Red-brown specimens are more expensive, with a price range from $200 to $2,160, while red ones can be seriously valuable. While most are available at $320 to $2,760, pieces ranked MS 66 quickly reach more than $10,000 at auctions.

For other coins in your hand, you can go to Coin Value Lookup to check, it contains coin value gudies for the main US coin types include pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars, and dollars.

Features of the 1912 Wheat Penny

The first Lincoln cents appeared in 1909 after the US Mint used Victor David Brenner's design for both sides. While the reverse has been changed several times until now, the obverse is still the same.

Obverse

The 1912 Wheat penny set was the fourth in the series, meaning these coins had the original obverse design based on Brenner's idea. You can see the President's image in the center, with inscriptions (LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST) surrounding it. The humble design was completed with the year of minting.

Reverse

Like all pennies minted during the first half-century, those from 1912 have centrally positioned denominations and the state name. Two recognizable wheat ears surround these letterings, with the Latin motto struck on the top.

Other features

The 1912 pennies are one-cent American coins with Abraham Lincoln on the obverse. They are made of an alloy that mainly includes copper (95%), while the rest can be tin or zinc.

The precise weight of each specimen is 0.1097 ounces, corresponding to the value of 3.11 grams. You can recognize a plain edge and measure the thickness of 0.061 inches, which equals 1.55 mm. A coin diameter is 0.75 inches or 19.05 mm, depending on the measurement system you prefer to use.

1912 Penny Errors

The 1912 pennies are part of an early series and are among those sets with only insignificant errors but without major ones. Most existing pieces with any kind of imperfection are common and inexpensive.

Die crack

This error occurs when a die cracks because of the immense pressure it withstands during minting. That damage leaves a raised metal line on the coin surface. Such 1912 pennies are common because the US Mint often used deteriorated dies. You can buy one such coin for up to $100, but most cost only a dollar or two.

Off-center

Most collectors like pennies with about 40% to 60% off-center, but they are rare among those minted in 1912. Most pieces are 5% to 10% off-center and cost $5 to $10. Those with more significant errors can reach higher prices.

Re-punched mint mark

Some Lincoln pennies minted in 1912 in San Francisco have a characteristic doubling on the S mint mark. Since they are not widely available, you can get $5 to $30 for any of these pieces.

1912 Penny Grading

Most collectors like to buy professionally graded coins, so you should know the 1912 Lincoln penny rank before selling or purchasing. Besides, most numismatists avoid lower-quality brown specimens.

There is also no need to buy coins under MS 63 grade because there are plenty of beautiful red, high-ranking cents minted this year at reasonable prices.

What makes the 1912 Wheat Penny with the Wheat reverse rare?

Not all 1912 pennies are rare, but proof pieces and those in the highest ranks can be scarce, making them sought after and collectible. Besides, numismatists often consider error coins valuable, so you can expect several moderately rare imperfect specimens to be expensive.

How much are the 1912 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny worth?

Most brown pennies minted in Philadelphia in 1912 cost less than $100, but highly graded red-brown pieces can be worth $40 to $450, depending on their preservation levels. The priciest are red coins, which cost $75 to $950, but those ranked MS 67 are assessed at about $5,000 to $6,000.

Which 1912 Wheat Penny are the most valuable in the series?

·       The 1912 PR66 red penny sold at $37,600 (2016)

·       The 1912 D MS66 red penny sold at $34,500 (2005)

·       The 1912 S MS65 red penny sold at $27,600 (2003)

·       The 1912 MS67 red penny sold at $21,850 (2006)

·       The 1912 PR66+ red-brown penny sold at $14,100 (2014)

·       The 1912 PR67 brown penny sold at $9,500 (2018)

·       The 1912 S MS65 red-brown penny sold at $5,175 (2005)

·       The 1912 S CH BU brown penny sold at $2,530 (1999)

·       The 1912 D MS66 brown penny sold at $1,540 (2017)

·       The 1912 D MS65 red-brown penny sold at $1,400 (2022)

·       The 1912 MS66 red-brown penny sold at $576 (2022)

·       The 1912 MS65 brown penny sold at $559 (2023)

·       The 1912 NGC Genuine penny sold at $19 (2023)

What is the costliest penny with the Wheat reverse?

The most expensive cent with Wheat ears on the reverse is the one minted in 1943 in Denver. According to PCGS, this bronze brown coin in MS 64 grade was sold at a 2021 action for an unbelievably high price of $840,000.