Did you know that your 1921 penny could be worth as much as a few thousand dollars? Maybe even more!
It’s true. But before you dash off to your nearest coin dealer to cash in your old penny, there are a few things you’ll need to know about your 1921 wheat penny to make sure it’s worth the big bucks.
There are several factors that go into determining the value of an old 1921 wheat cent — including:
- Where your coin was minted
- Whether or not your 1921 wheat penny is in uncirculated (mint) condition
- If your wheat penny has any errors or exhibits die varieties
How Much Is A 1921 Penny Worth?
The values of 1921 Lincoln wheat cents are all over the board. Prices range from 10 to 25 cents for coins that are in typical well-worn condition… to more than $10,000 for nicely preserved uncirculated specimens.
For starters, you need to know whether your 1921 wheat penny was struck at the Philadelphia Mint or at the San Francisco Mint. 1921 pennies made in San Francisco have a little “S” mintmark under the date, while Philly-minted pennies have no mintmark at all.
Here’s a guide to help you determine your 1921 penny value:
- 1921 no mintmark penny (Philadelphia Mint) — Values range from 25 cents to about $1.50 for well-worn examples. Typical uncirculated pieces trade for between $40 and $100. Red mint state specimens sell for anywhere from $200 for lower-end pieces to more than $30,000 for the finest specimens.
- 1921-S penny (San Francisco Mint) — These old pennies are worth from about $3 to $10 in well-worn grades to more than $100 for uncirculated examples. Nice, red uncirculated pieces are generally worth between $500 and $10,000.
What Is The Most Valuable 1921 Penny?
Would you believe the most valuable 1921 wheat penny sold for more than $35,000?
It’s true.
The finest-known 1921 Lincoln cent, minted in Philadelphia, was graded MS-68 Red by the Professional Coin Grading Service. It most recently sold for $36,000 in 2019.
The same piece sold for $55,200 back in 2005.
IMPORTANT: What Is The Grade Of Your 1921 Penny?
To determine the true value of your 1921 wheat penny, you first need to know what condition (or grade) your coin is in.
Grab a coin magnifier and a copy of the U.S. Coin Grading Standards book. Then, watch this video to see how to grade coins yourself at home:
These coin grading apps make grading coins yourself SO much easier!
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century.
I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek.
I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!
