For the people who love coins, a Wheat Penny is worth their attention. It’s a small coin that had little value in the early days of U.S. currency. This means that if you had one back in 1945 it won’t amount to much. Over time the coin has appraised and is worth some good money as of 2022.
Then comes the big question, how much is a 1945 Wheat Penny Worth? Well, the coin in your possession might not be worth much if it has scratches here and there. The condition of old coins plays a very vital role in the value of the coin.
The 1945 Lincoln Wheat Penny is valued at approximately $0.05 in average condition and can be worth $0.96 to $2.28 or more in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition. Other variations including the 1945-D and 1945-S are worth $0.05 in average condition, with an estimate of $0.96 to $2.28 if they are in uncirculated mint condition.
A Brief History – 1945 Wheat Penny
The United States Mint has struck Lincoln cents since 1909. The obverse or heads side was designed by Victor David Brenner, as was the original reverse, depicting two stalks of wheat (thus “wheat pennies”, struck 1909–1958).
| 1945 Wheat Penny | |
| Location | Minted |
| Philadelphia | 1,040,515,000 |
| Denver | 266,268,000 |
| San Francisco | 181,770,000 |
| Total | 1,488,553,000 |
The cent coin was originally struck in 95% copper, but it was changed for one year to zinc-coated steel during World War II as a shortage of copper was needed for the war effort. The mint then reverted to 95% copper until 1982 when inflation made copper too expensive and it was changed to zinc with an outer layer of copper.
The 1945 Lincoln Penny was struck in three locations; Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco, each location having its unique amount of total coins struck. The Philadelphia mint struck a total number of 1,040,515,000 making it one of the most struck coins. The Denver mint struck about 266,268,000 coins and the San Francisco mint struck 181,770,000.
As you can see, a lot of Wheat pennies were struck in the year 1945, and the coins in circulation were indeed plentiful, thus, the 1945 Lincoln Penny isn’t considered a rarity in good condition. However, higher grades are quite scarce and considered a rarity.
| 1945 Wheat Penny | |
| Metal Composition | 95% Copper – 5% Tin and Zinc |
| Mass/Weight | 3.11 grams |
| Diameter | 19 mm |
| Mint Marks | “D” “S” |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Victor D Brenner |
Proof coins were struck for collectors for the first time since 1916, beginning in 1936, and produced by the Philadelphia Mint only. These pieces were minted from dies polished to mirror smoothness. Only a few exist today and are worth way more than your average Lincoln Penny.
1945 Wheat Penny Design
Obverse
The obverse of this coin shows a profile view of Abraham Lincoln. “IN GOD WE TRUST” is inscribed below his head, and “LIBERTY” is engraved on his left side. “1945” is engraved on his right side.
On the obverse of U.S. coins, you can always see the mint year. Underneath that mint mark, some mints engraved a mint mark to indicate which mint produced the coin. All coins from Denver and San Francisco have an appropriate mint mark engraved on them except for Philadelphia coins.
Reverse
The back or reverse of the 1945 Lincoln Penny features the words “ONE CENT” and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” It also features the words “E PLURIBUS UNUM” which is the motto of the United States that means Out Of Many. Two wheat ears can be seen surrounding the words on the penny, hence the name “wheat penny”
1945 Wheat Penny Types & Value
There are several 1945 wheat pennies that were made. The majority of them have been made into collectibles and sold through coin dealers and auction houses. Once you know what your coin is worth, you can start to approach potential buyers of it. Here, we will show you how to know the value of your 1945 Lincoln Penny.
As said earlier, the 1945 Wheat penny was minted at three different locations and there are;
- Philadelphia
- Denver
- San Francisco.
| 1945 Wheat Penny Coin Value Chart By USA Coin Book | |||||
| Year | Fine | Extremely Fine | AU 50 | MS 60 | MS 63 |
| 1945 P | 0.05 | 0.22 | 0.39 | 0.96 | 2.28 |
| 1945 D | 0.05 | 0.22 | 0.39 | 0.96 | 2.28 |
| 1945 S | 0.11 | 0.22 | 0.39 | 0.96 | 2.28 |
1945 Wheat Penny Value And Chart
| Group | Small Cents |
| Mintage | 1,040,515,000 |
| Minted At | Philadelphia |
| Mint Mark | No mint mark |
As clearly seen in the image above, the 1945 Lincoln Penny does not have a mint mark underneath the 1945 date on the obverse of the coin. The 1945 Lincoln Wheat Penny is worth $0.05 in average condition and can be worth up to $2.28 or more in mint condition. However, people who own this coin in MS 60+ conditions have sold theirs to the highest bidder in auctions.
In mint condition, a single 1945 Lincoln Penny can sell for as much as $1,000! This is because these coins were produced in such large numbers that they’re very affordable and easy to find across multiple grades!
Below are examples of 1945 Wheat Pennies sold at auction;
- 1945 1C MS67 RedPCGS Sold on May 4, 2005 for: $1,380.00 Crisply struck with rich coloration, this coin is scintillatingly lustrous and nearly free of corrosion. The surface has only minimal even wear and the surfaces remain virtually unmarked.
- 1945 1C MS67+Red PCGS Sold on Jun 20, 2021 for: $3,720.00
| 1945 Wheat Penny Coin Value Chart By PCGS | |
| Grade | Price |
| MS 64 | $12 |
| MS 65 | $20 |
| MS 65+ | $22 |
| MS 66 | $28 |
| MS 67 | $240 |
| MS 67+ | $3,850 |
1945 D Wheat Penny Value And Chart
| Group | Small Cents |
| Mintage | 266,268,000 |
| Minted At | Denver |
| Mint Mark | “D” Mint Mark |
The “D” mint mark underneath the “1945” indicates that the coin was minted at Denver. The average condition price of a 1945-D Lincoln Wheat Penny is $0.05 and it is worth between $0.96 and $2.28 in uncirculated (MS+) mint condition. Finding the coin in MS 67 and higher is nearly impossible, hence it is considered a rarity and highly valuable.
If you find a 1945-D Lincoln Wheat Penny in MS 67 or higher, it will be well worth your while to keep this coin as an investment piece or even sell it if you are looking for cash. Below are examples of the 1945 D Lincoln Wheat Penny sold at auction.
- 1945-D 1C MS67+ Red PCGSSold on Jan 7, 2016 for: $940.00. The medium orange-red surfaces are essentially pristine and show no carbon. An interesting die line runs from the left wheat ear through U(NITED) to O(NE). A top-grade example for a Registry Set.
- 1945-D 1C MS68 Red PCGSSold on Jan 10, 2019 for:$14,400.00. This 1945-D cent, graded MS68 Red by PCGS, is a fantastic specimen of this coin in a most impressive state of preservation. The coin has escaped all those mediocre outcomes, however, showing a great strike and vibrant luster. It also shows no mentionable impairments.
| 1945 D Wheat Penny Coin Value Chart By PCGS | |
| Grade | Price |
| MS 64 | $12 |
| MS 65 | $16 |
| MS 65+ | $20 |
| MS 66 | $26 |
| MS 67 | $160 |
| MS 68 | $16,000 |
1945 S Wheat Penny Value And Chart
| Group | Small Cents |
| Mintage | 181,770,000 |
| Minted At | San Francisco |
| Mint Mark | “S” Mint Mark |
The estimated value of a 1945-S Lincoln wheat penny in average condition is $0.11. In uncirculated (MS+) mint condition, it can be worth $0.96 to $2.28 or more. It bears the “S” mint mark at the bottom of the year “1945” on the obverse, this mark indicates that it was struck at the San Francisco mint.
The value of a 1945-S Lincoln wheat penny can change based on several factors. The condition of the coin will determine its value, as well as how rare it is. A common example of this is when collectors find a worn or damaged coin and bring it to a grading service, where they will assign it an assigned value based on its condition.
Below are some 1945 S Wheat Pennies in pristine condition that sold high in auctions.
- 1945-S 1C MS67+ Red PCGSSold on May 9, 2022 for: $900.00
- 1945-S 1c PCGS/CAC MS67+RD Sold on October 4, 2020 for: $645
| 1945 S Wheat Penny Coin Value Chart By PCGS | |
| Grade | Price |
| MS 64 | $10 |
| MS 65 | $14 |
| MS 65+ | $17 |
| MS 66 | $24 |
| MS 67 | $100 |
| MS 67+ | $550 |
What makes a 1945 wheat penny valuable?
Regardless of the type of 1945 Lincoln Penny you own, what makes it valuable is its condition and rarity. Coin collectors would highly appraise a coin that is hard to find in gem condition. Regular or average coins that have wear and tear might not be worth so much.
How much is a 1945 s penny worth?
The estimated value of a 1945-S Lincoln wheat penny in average condition is $0.11. In uncirculated (MS+) mint condition, it can be worth $0.96 to $2.28 or more. In MS67 the 1945 S penny is worth $100 or more.
Is a 1945 wheat penny with no mint mark worth anything?
The 1945 Lincoln Wheat Penny is worth $0.05 in average condition and can be worth up to $2.28 or more in mint condition. 1945 Wheat Pennies with no mint mark is a clear indication that it was minted at Philadelphia as this mint factory didn’t leave any mint mark on the obverse like other factories did.
Is a 1945 penny rare?
Although the 1945 Wheat Penny is over 80 years old, it isn’t considered a rarity because a lot of coins were minted and circulated. You might easily be able to find a 1945 in good condition. Regardless, higher grades of the 1945 penny can be considered a rarity and highly valuable because getting your hands on one is very hard.
Final Words
There are several ways you can go about determining the value of your old coin. However one of the popular ways is by comparing the value of your penny to coin charts from leading expert websites like Greysheet and NGC, with these platforms you can get a thorough look at how much yours is worth.
It is important to know your coin values in order to make sure you don’t accidentally overpay when purchasing or selling. Stay informed so that you know what a fair price is when looking to add to your collection, or sell off a coin. I hope this article has been of help to you, feel free to comment below if you have a question or contribution that would benefit other readers, thanks for stopping by.
