People have asked me questions like, “What a penny no markings value is” and “If pennies with no mint mark are worth anything.”
These are interesting kinds of coin questions, because these questions are rather vague.
People wanting to know if a penny with no markings is worth money might not know how to describe exactly what it is they see — at least not in terms common to coin collectors.
Markings could mean the coin’s design. It might mean the coin’s mintmark. Or it could refer to something else entirely.
Here’s everything you want to know about pennies with no markings…
A Penny With No Mint Mark (Facts & Value)
When I encounter questions about pennies with no markings, usually the person is asking about a Lincoln penny of theirs that has no mint letter stamp (or mintmark) under the date.
There may be other pennies the collector is asking about, like Indian Head pennies — some of which have their mintmark on the tail’s side (reverse), near the bottom center of the coin under the wreath.
But 9 times out of 10, a reader’s question about a penny with no markings involves a Lincoln cent.
Many people seem to think that a penny without a mintmark is some kind of rarity.
I understand why someone might think this. Consider, for example, the well-known old valuable and rare penny known as the 1922 plain cent. It lacks a mintmark under the date. And lots of collectors know that this plain penny is worth money.
So, doesn’t it make sense that other plain pennies are rare and valuable, too?
It could make sense if you don’t know the reason behind WHY the 1922 plain penny is a rare coin.
The 1922 plain penny is valuable because the “D” mintmark was obliterated by overzealous polishing to get rid of damage on the die. That’s why 1922 plain pennies are rare!
What about other plain pennies?…
Unfortunately, in virtually all other cases, something you might call a plain penny (one that doesn’t have a mintmark under the date) is NORMAL.
HUH?
You see, the Philadelphia Mint traditionally doesn’t place mintmarks on its pennies (and for most of history didn’t put a mintmark on any of its coins). Only one time has the Philly Mint put a “P” mint letter stamp on its pennies — and that was in 2017.
So, if you find a plain penny from any year other than 1922, it’s totally a normal Philadelphia Mint strike. And, in most cases, a worn Lincoln penny with no mintmark is worth just a few cents.
If you find a penny with no mint markings from 1983 or later, it’s generally worth just its face value.
As for other penny values…
I have written articles that summarize the values for virtually all Lincoln pennies since 1909 here at TheFunTimesGuide.com. I encourage you to check them out using the site’s search feature. I’m 99% sure you’ll be able to find out exactly what your penny (with or without any unique markings) is worth today.
A Penny With No Markings At All (Facts & Value)
Wait, wait — you mean your penny with no markings literally has NO markings on it whatsoever? No design, period? Just a blank penny?
Ah, then what you have is a blank penny planchet!
Don’t let the funny word “planchet” throw you…
Planchet refers to the blank piece of metal that is prepared and ready to go for being struck as a coin by the U.S. Mint. A blank penny planchet with no markings is just that: the disc of metal that was intended to be struck as a penny but wasn’t.
The neat thing about blank pennies is that they are mint errors — and mint error coins are often worth a lot more than face value!
So, what is the value of this kind of penny with no markings?
Most blank cent planchets you find are worth somewhere between $3 to $5 — possibly more or less if a skilled coin collector or coin dealer can determine if the planchet is really old or much more modern (made in the last year or two).
You see, blank planchets are actually one of the more common kinds of penny no markings errors. In fact, the U.S. Mint sometimes gives these out as mementos to certain guests or those visiting the mint for a special event.
So, there are many blank pennies out there.
Other Kinds Of Pennies With No Markings
There aren’t many other kinds of pennies with no marks, designs, or the like floating around.
But there’s a chance you may have a penny with no markings that doesn’t fall into either of the 2 categories above. And perhaps you’ve made it all this way in the article and still didn’t get the answer you’re hoping for. Or at least some direction.
If that’s the case, don’t worry — that’s why we have a comments section down below.
I’ve been answering coin questions here since 2008, and I don’t plan to stop anytime soon. So, please feel free to post your question about your penny with no markings below, and attach a couple of clear photos to help me see the coin you’re referring to.
I can’t promise that I can answer ALL your questions, but I’ll do my best to help!
Here’s a video I made highlighting some of the valuables pennies you should be looking for in pocket change:
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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!
