Want to know how much your 1927 penny is worth?
I found my first 1927 Lincoln cent in pocket change many years ago. Since it was such an old penny, I immediately wanted to know its value, whether it was rare or not — and if it was worth keeping.
Sure enough, I soon discovered that some 1927 wheat pennies are worth several thousand dollars!
Was mine? Nope.
But is yours worth the big bucks?
Maybe. Let’s find out…
There are lots of factors that go into determining the value of 1927 pennies, including:
Today I’m going to tell you how to find the value of your 1927 wheat penny.
All 1927 Penny Values
I know why you’re reading this article — you want to find out how much your 1927 wheat penny is worth! And not just the value for a “perfect” version of the 1927 Lincoln cent, but what YOUR coin is really worth.
I’ve got it!
Here’s a rundown on the different types of 1927 pennies and what they’re worth in varying conditions:
#1) 1927 No Mintmark Penny Value
Pennies that were made at the Philadelphia Mint in 1927 have no mintmark under the date. Not finding a mintmark under the date of 1927 Philadelphia Lincoln cents is normal — because the Philadelphia Mint didn’t place “P” mintmarks on any of its coin in 1927.
1927 wheat pennies are pretty common, as 144,440,000 were minted. Even though you may not find old pennies from 1927 in your pocket change very often, plenty of them have been saved by coin collectors — so they generally aren’t rare coins.
However, even the most well-worn examples of the no mintmark 1927 wheat penny are worth more than face value:
- In heavily worn condition, they’re worth about 15 to 25 cents.
- Nicer examples with only a little wear are worth $1 to $2.
- If you find an uncirculated 1927 Lincoln cent in an old collection or estate, the value is $10 to $20 or more.
#2) 1927-D Penny Value
The Denver Mint struck 27,170,000 pennies in 1927 — each with the “D” mintmark indicating their origin at mint in the Mile-High City.
While the mintage of 1927-D Lincoln pennies is significantly lower than the total production of Philly-minted 1927 pennies, a 1927-D penny isn’t all that scarce and isn’t incredibly valuable in the lower, more common grades:
- A heavily worn 1927-D penny is worth between $1 and $3.
- A lightly worn example is worth $5 to $15 — with the higher value for those showing only a whiff of wear on high points, such as Lincoln’s cheek and beard.
- An uncirculated specimen is worth $50 to $75… and up.
#3) 1927-S Penny Value
The 1927-S penny is the scarcest of the 3 different penny issues the United States Mint struck that year. (The “S” indicates that it was made at the San Francisco Mint.)
Only 14,276,000 were struck — though it’s not necessarily considered a scarce date.
High-end specimens are significantly scarcer than the more common lower-end specimens of the 1927-S penny:
- A heavily worn 1927-S penny is worth $1.25 to $4.
- A specimen with only minor touches of wear is worth between $15 and $30.
- An uncirculated 1927-S penny is worth $80 or more.
What Is The Most Valuable 1927 Penny?
Would you believe at least one 1927 wheat penny took more than $10,000 in an auction transaction?
Yep!
It was a 1927-S penny slabbed by the Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS) as an MS-65 “Red” specimen awarded a seal of approval by the Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC).
It sold for $10,200 in a 2018 auction.
IMPORTANT: What Is The Grade Of Your 1927 Penny?
To determine the true value of your 1927 wheat penny, you first need to know what condition (or grade) your coin is in.
COIN TIP: These are the best coin grading apps that make grading coins yourself SO much easier!
Rare 1927 Penny Errors To Look For
Along with high-grade 1927 Lincoln cents, other pieces worth a “pretty penny” are those with errors and odd varieties.
See how much a 1927 penny error is worth in this list of popular 1927 wheat penny errors you should be looking for…
1927 Doubled Die Error Pennies
At least one type of doubled die has been reported for EACH of the three 1927 Lincoln cent issues from the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints:
- Some 1927 no mintmark examples show doubling in the obverse (heads side) inscriptions of LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date. These 1927 doubled die pennies exhibit varying degrees of doubling in Lincoln’s eyelid.
- A few kinds of 1927-D doubled die pennies show doubling in Lincoln’s eyelid.
- There’s at least one type of 1927-S doubled die penny with an extra eyelid.
Prices aren’t necessarily very high for these 1927 doubled die pennies — certainly not as high as those for, say, the 1955 doubled die penny. But they’re nevertheless worth at least $10 to $25 for the minor varieties and perhaps $250+ for the more drastic examples.
1927 Off-Center Error Pennies
This interesting type of error occurs when the dies don’t strike the blank coin squarely.
Some off-center coins are more askew than others. Those that are off-center by only 1% or 2% really aren’t worth anything extra and may be only barely noticeable as off-center errors — with perhaps part of the rim missing.
These types of error coins don’t really become valuable or worth saving until they’re at least 5% to 10% off center.
Off-center 1927 pennies are worth anywhere from $10 to $25 for examples that are 5% to 10% off-center to more than $100 that are 50% off center or more!
1927 Pennies With Repunched Mintmark Errors
On some 1927 Lincoln cents, there are indications of doubling or repositioning of the mintmark.
These types of varieties are quite common — there are actually many hundreds of types of repunched mintmark pennies known across the entire Lincoln cent series.
Among the 1927 pennies, there are several kinds of 1927-D wheat cents with repunched mintmarks.
They are generally worth between $3 and $10 in circulated grades.
1927 Pennies With Die Breaks & Die Cracks
Raised lines across the surface of a coin are usually indicative of minor fissures or cracks in the die that struck that coin. Die breaks can range in size from little raised lines that connect letters… to fractures that run across the entire face of a coin, from rim to rim.
Values for die crack errors vary depending on how drastic the error is or the location of the die break. Generally, the larger the error, the more it’s worth. Also, the more prominent the crack, the higher the value.
Because of the wide range in values for 1927 die break pennies, it’s hard to say what your specific piece is worth without an in-hand evaluation. But, there are some general value guidelines for coins with die crack errors:
- Wheat pennies with small die breaks located in inconspicuous locations are perhaps worth $2 to $5.
- Large die cracks on pennies are quite desirable among collectors, and many of these drastic die breaks can bring over $100.
- BIE error Lincoln cents show a vertical die break (or line) between the “B” and “E” of “LIBERTY” on the obverse. Old wheat pennies with BIE errors are worth $7 to $15.
Here’s how to tell the difference between legit error coins and coins with post-mint damage.
Do you have a 1927 wheat penny? Think there may be something unique about it? Post a picture of your coin in the comments below and I’ll try to help!
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