1944 wheat penny value: 1944, 1944-D and 1944-S worth
1944 wheat penny value by mint mark and grade, the 1944-D/S mint mark variety worth $100 to $715, and the 1944 steel cent error worth $75,000 and up.
| Mintage | Philadelphia (no mint mark) 1,435,400,000 · Denver (D) 430,578,000 · San Francisco (S) 282,760,000 |
|---|---|
| Composition | Brass, 95% copper and 5% zinc, partly from recycled shell casings (no tin, unlike pre-war bronze); the error coins are zinc-coated steel |
| Weight | 3.11 g (brass) · 2.70 g (steel error) |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Designer | Victor David Brenner |
| Mint mark | Below the date on the obverse; none for Philadelphia |
| Edge | Plain |
1944 penny value chart
| Coin | Circulated | Uncirculated | Top grades / record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 (no mint mark) | $0.20 | $0.35 | Common: 1,435,400,000 struck |
| 1944-D | $0.20 | $0.25 (MS-60) – $2 (MS-65) | — |
| 1944-S | $0.20 | $0.35 | Lowest mintage of the three: 282,760,000 |
| 1944-D/S overpunched mint mark | $100+ | $338 (MS-60) – $715 (MS-65) | Traces of an S show above the D |
| 1944 steel cent — error | $75,000+ | $115,000 (1944-D, MS-63) – $180,000 (1944, MS-64) | 1944-S in MS-66: $408,000 (2021), the finer of two known |
Source: Gainesville Coins 1944 Lincoln wheat penny value guide (updated 5 Jun 2025) and 10 Most Valuable Pennies (updated 10 Apr 2026); CoinWeek (Jan 2025 and Mar 2026) for the 1944-S and 1944-D steel cent sales. Values checked on 2026-10-29. Values are reference ranges for typical examples, from published price guides and recent sales, and are not an offer to buy. Rare varieties and high grades need authentication before you trust a price.
How to check yours
- Magnet first. A normal 1944 cent is brass and will not stick. A 1944 that sticks to a magnet may be the steel-planchet error, worth $75,000 or more: weigh it (2.70 g) and send it to a grading service before anyone prices it.
- Look above the D. On the 1944-D/S, traces of an S show above the D, at its top edge. Use 10x magnification; the variety exists only on Denver coins.
- Judge the colour. Uncirculated 1944 cents are graded Red, Red-Brown or Brown, and a fully red coin is worth more than a brown one of the same grade.
- Ignore the shell-case story for pricing. The brass alloy is a nice fact, not a premium; every 1944 cent is brass.
The 1944 cent is the most-made wheat penny of all, which makes it a poor coin to hoard and a good coin to check: the two exceptions are easy to test for and worth a lot when they turn up. The values below are for typical examples; the chart’s source and date are under it.
Values checked on 29 October 2026 against the sources named under the chart.
| Sticks to a magnet? | S visible above the D? | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal 1944 cent | No | No | 20 cents to $2 |
| 1944-D/S | No | Yes | $100 – $715 |
| 1944 steel cent | Yes | — | $75,000 – $408,000 |
The common coins: condition and colour decide
With 1.4 billion from Philadelphia alone, a 1944 cent has to be uncirculated to be worth more than a few cents. The Gainesville guide prices all three mints at about 20 cents circulated and 35 cents uncirculated, and a 1944-D at about $2 in MS-65. Grading services describe copper coins as Brown, Red-Brown or Red, and full original red brings the most. The San Francisco coin has the lowest mintage of the three, but none of the three is a key date. For the dates that are, see the rare pennies list.
The 1944-D/S overpunched mint mark
A few 1944 dies were punched with an S mint mark for San Francisco and then corrected with a D for Denver. Under 10x magnification, traces of the S show above the D, at its top edge. The Gainesville guide prices it at $100 or more in worn grades and $338 to $715 from MS-60 to MS-65. It is the 1944 cousin of the 1943-D/D repunched mint mark and the single best reason to look closely at every 1944-D.
The 1944 steel cent
The reverse of the famous 1943 error: leftover 1943 steel blanks got mixed into 1944 production and were struck with 1944 dies. Known populations are small, roughly 20 to 30 from Philadelphia, 7 to 10 from Denver and 2 from San Francisco, and prices follow: $180,000 for a Philadelphia coin in MS-64, $115,000 for a Denver coin in MS-63, and $408,000 in 2021 for the finer of the two San Francisco coins. The magnet is the first test, the 1943 copper cent test in reverse, but Gainesville warns of sophisticated counterfeits and alterations, so any 1944 that sticks goes to a grading service before anyone prices it.
1944 penny value by grade
| Grade | 1944-D | 1944-D/S |
|---|---|---|
| Circulated | $0.20 | $100+ |
| MS-60 | $0.25 | $338 |
| MS-63 | $0.40 | $422 |
| MS-64 | $0.60 | $488 |
| MS-65 | $2 | $715 |
Gainesville gives grade-by-grade prices only for the 1944-D; it prices the Philadelphia and San Francisco coins with it, at about 20 cents circulated and 35 cents uncirculated. The end of the penny in 2025 raised interest in every copper cent, this one included. Not sure of the mint mark or the grade? Photograph both sides and the coin identifier reads the mint mark and estimates the grade; check any 1944-D for the D/S yourself with a loupe. The wheat penny series guide covers the series from 1909 to 1958.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is a 1944 wheat penny worth?
About 20 cents worn and 35 cents uncirculated for the normal Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco coins, which were struck in huge numbers; a 1944-D in MS-65 brings about $2. Only the 1944-D/S mint mark variety, at $100 to $715, and the 1944 steel cent error, at $75,000 and up, are worth significant money.
Is a 1944 wheat penny rare?
No. More than 2.1 billion were made, the highest annual mintage of any Lincoln cent until 1960, so a circulated 1944 cent is worth little over face value. The rarity is in the varieties: the D/S mint mark, and the steel cents struck in error on leftover 1943 blanks.
What is a 1944 steel penny worth?
Between $75,000 and $408,000 depending on mint and grade. Around 20 to 30 Philadelphia pieces, 7 to 10 Denver pieces and 2 San Francisco pieces are known; the finer 1944-S, graded MS-66, sold for $408,000 in 2021. A 1944 cent that sticks to a magnet is the clue, and a grading service is the answer, because fakes and alterations exist.
What does the 1944-D/S penny look like?
It is a Denver cent whose die was first punched with an S mint mark and then corrected with a D, so traces of the S show above the D, at its top edge, under 10x magnification. Worn examples are worth $100 or more and Mint State coins $338 to $715.
Why is a 1944 penny made from shell casings?
The Mint returned to copper in 1944 after the unpopular steel cent, using brass that included melted spent artillery shell casings. The alloy is 95% copper and 5% zinc, with none of the tin used before the war. Researchers such as David Lange note that recycled casings supplied only part of the metal.