Wheat Cent Value Guide

The 1957 Wheat Cent is a classic piece of American numismatics, representing the penultimate year of the iconic wheat stalk reverse design. Struck in a durable bronze alloy of copper and tin, this coin is highly collectible as a tangible link to the 100th-anniversary commemoration of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

What Is Wheat Cent Worth?

The typical price range for Wheat Cent is $0 - $2 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The presence of original mint luster, which significantly increases the value toward the $1.50 range.
• The specific mint mark, with Philadelphia and Denver strikes having slightly different survival rates in high grades.
• Overall surface preservation, including the absence of scratches, carbon spots, or heavy wear on Lincoln's hair and the wheat lines.
• The color designation, ranging from Brown (BN) to Red-Brown (RB) or the highly coveted Red (RD).

How to Identify Wheat Cent?

• Verify the 1957 date located on the right side of the obverse below the 'In God We Trust' motto.
• Confirm the reverse features two stylized stalks of wheat framing the words 'ONE CENT' and 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'.
• Check for the 'D' mint mark below the date, indicating production at the Denver Mint, or the absence of a mark for Philadelphia.
• Ensure the material is a bronze composition, as authentic 1957 cents should not be magnetic.

History of Wheat Cent

The Lincoln Wheat Cent was introduced in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. Designed by Victor David Brenner, it was the first widely circulated U.S. coin to feature a real person. The wheat reverse remained in use from 1909 through 1958, after which it was replaced by the Lincoln Memorial reverse in 1959.