Have a 1951 Wheat penny and want to know how much it’s worth?
Old Wheat pennies turn up in pocket change from time to time. They’re also found in coin jars, old coin collections, estates, and other places.
So, how can you tell if you have a rare 1951 penny worth thousands of dollars or a more ordinary worn 1951 penny worth only a few cents?
Here’s everything you want to know about 1951 Wheat penny values, mintage numbers, and errors that are quite valuable…
How Much Is A 1951 Penny Worth?
Most 1951 pennies that you’ll find in pocket change are worth a little more than face value. Worn 1951 Wheat pennies are generally worth less than 25 cents.
However, uncirculated 1951 Lincoln cents and those struck as proofs are worth significantly more than face value.
Other rare and valuable 1951 pennies are those that contain errors and varieties, such as:
The record price for any 1951 penny was $10,350 paid in 2006 for a Mint State-67 “Red” specimen with original, freshly minted reddish-orange color.
How Many 1951 Pennies Were Made?
While you may not see many 1951 pennies in circulation today, nearly 1 billion were made!
Here are the different 1951 Wheat penny issues… how many 1951 pennies were made, and what they’re worth in uncirculated condition:
- 1951 no mintmark penny (Philadelphia): 284,576,000 minted — worth 5+ cents
- 1951-D penny (Denver): 625,355,000 minted — 10+ cents
- 1951-S penny (San Francisco): 136,010,000 minted — 15+ cents
- 1951 proof penny: 57,500 minted — $40+
IMPORTANT: What Is The Grade Of Your 1951 Penny?
To determine the true value of your 1951 Wheat penny, you first need to know what condition (or grade) your coin is in.
How to Grade Coins Yourself
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 will make grading coins yourself much easier.
Rare 1951 Penny Errors To Look For
There are many 1951 pennies that were incorrectly struck. These are usually worth a significant premium.
Here are some of the 1951 Wheat penny errors that collectors know about, and their approximate values:
- 1951 doubled die obverse penny — worth $10 to $25+
- 1951-D doubled die obverse penny — $10 to $25+
- 1951-D repunched mintmark penny (D over D over D) — $3 to $5+
- 1951-S, D over S overmintmark penny — $15 to $30+
If you’re sorting through a pile of 1951-D pennies, you need to turn your desk lamp on bright and scrutinize that little “D” mintmark under the date. In 1951, a Mint worker took a coin die that had already been stamped with an “S” (for San Francisco) and punched a “D” right on top of it. Collectors call this an OMM — an Over Mintmark. You can use a standard magnifying glass to look closely at the upper loop of the primary “D.” On a genuine 1951-D/S variety, you’ll see distinct parts of the old “S” peeking out from the left side of the “D,” near the spine of the primary mintmark. It’s an incredible variety to check for, and plenty of them are floating around in old change jars waiting for you to discover them!
While I’ve only listed a few 1951 Wheat penny varieties and errors above, there are many more out there — like the 1951-D penny with a BIE error!
Here’s what you need to look for when hunting for the 1951-D BIE penny:
Because the coin presses in 1951 were churning out pennies around the clock, dies would inevitably start showing signs of wear and tear, and develop stress fractures. On many 1951 pennies, the dies actually cracked right in the protected channel between the letters “B” and “E” in the word LIBERTY. When the press struck the copper planchet, metal bubbled up into that narrow fracture — leaving a vertical raised lump that looks exactly like a capital letter “I.” If your coin looks like it says “L-I-B-I-E-R-T-Y,” you’ve found a classic mid-century die-break variety that would be perfect for any collection of classic Wheat pennies.
Chances are, there are many other 1951 penny errors yet to be discovered by collectors!
But I’ll tell you about something that is NOT an error…
New collectors who find a 1951 penny sometimes notice that the letter “L” in LIBERTY is smashed right up against (maybe even touching) the outer border rim. This leads them to think they’ve found a rare off-center error. However… It isn’t a mistake, per se. Sometimes the hubs at the U.S. Mint naturally distorted and “spread out” from years of heavy pressure — pushing that design outer parameter closer and closer to the border edge. You need to know that many business-strike pennies struck in the early 1950s carries this aberration. It’s totally normal and doesn’t add a premium.
Are 1951 Pennies Worth Collecting?
Absolutely! Old pennies are highly collectible, and 1951 Wheat cents are no exception.
Many hobbyists add 1951 pennies to their Lincoln cent collections, such as old Wheat penny sets spanning the years 1909 through 1958.
If you’d like to add a 1951 Wheat penny to your collection, you can buy one from a coin dealer. However, with enough looking through pocket change or coin rolls, you may find a valuable 1951 Wheat penny for face value… Yep, just one cent!
READ NEXT: A List Of The Most Valuable U.S. Pennies
Do you have a 1951 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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