Do you have a 1934 penny and want to know what it’s worth?
Old pennies from 1934 turn up every now and then in circulation, so it’s likely you could find a 1934 penny if you look hard enough in your loose change or in bank rolls.
But what’s the value of a 1934 penny? Are 1934 pennies worth looking for?
We’ll answer these and other questions about the 1934 penny value, how many 1934 pennies were made, and more in this post.
What Is A 1934 Penny Worth?
Here’s the value of 1934 pennies in circulated condition (the typical wear that you’d see on most old pennies found in spare change):
- 1934 penny (no mintmark, made in Philadelphia) — 219,080,000 minted, worth 5 to 10+ cents
- 1934-D penny (made in Denver) — 28,446,000 minted, worth 10 to 20+ cents
*Values are for problem-free coins (no cleanings, holes, porosity, etc.) in circulated condition. Uncirculated 1934 pennies are worth more than the prices listed here.
IMPORTANT: What Is The Grade Of Your 1934 Penny?
To determine the true value of your 1934 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 are the best coin grading apps that make grading coins yourself much easier.
Are 1934 Pennies Collectible?
While 1934 pennies are neither rare coins nor are they very valuable in the circulated grades, they’re nonetheless worthy of keeping.
As wheat pennies, 1934 Lincoln cents are considered obsolete — and they’re becoming harder to find in circulation these days.
Interestingly, 1934 pennies unofficially represent the first year of a new era for wheat pennies. Those made prior to 1934 are generally scarcer than those made from 1934 on to the end of the series in 1958.
Excluding varieties such as the 1943 bronze penny, 1944 steel cent, and 1955 doubled die, all of the semi-key and rare wheat pennies were struck before 1934.
If you find old wheat pennies in pocket change or bank rolls, they’re most likely to be dated from 1934 on.
Still, discovering a 1934 penny in circulation represents a neat find, and it’s definitely worth keeping these old coins aside. One day, they may become much scarcer and more valuable than we could ever realize today!
More Info About Valuable 1934 Pennies
In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some other resources to help you understand the value of old wheat pennies like the 1934 penny:
- What’s The Value Of Wheat Pennies?
- Which Old Pennies Are The Most Valuable?
- Old Copper Pennies: Which Ones To Save & What They’re Worth
- A List Of 43 U.S. Pennies Worth Holding On To
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!