1923 Wheat Penny
The 1923 Wheat Penny had a total mintage of over 74 million from the Philadelphia Mint. While this is a relatively large mintage, comparatively, it was much smaller than the other Philadelphia 1920s mintages of the Wheat Penny. The Philadelphia Mint was known for producing coins that were well-struck with attractive surfaces, and this coin is relatively available in Mint State grades all the way up to full reds, making this an accessible and beautiful coin to add to any Wheat Penny series collection.
History of the 1923 Wheat Penny
The 1923 Wheat Penny is available in most mid-range Mint State grades all the way up to full reds. It’s worthwhile to cherrypick through these coins and find ones that are as red as possible with minimal to no spots. The Wheat Penny was designed by Victor David Brenner. President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to prepare new coin designs that had more artistic merit. He chose Brenner based on a plaque he created with Lincoln’s profile. The Wheat Penny depicts a bust and profile of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse. The reverse features two stalks of durum wheat.
1923 Wheat Penny Worth
The 1923 Wheat Penny value ranges from a few hundred dollars to the low tens of thousands for some of the higher grade Mint State coins available. This is a very affordable coin compared to some of the others in the series, but this doesn’t detract from the value that it brings to a collection because the 1923 Wheat Penny is typically an attractive, well-struck coin. Overall, the Wheat Penny series is an affordable series for collectors looking to complete their project at a more accessible cost.
Type of coin: Penny
Year: 1923 Wheat Penny
Wheat Penny Mint Mark: Philadelphia
Total mintage: 74,723,000
Metal content: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Face value: 1 cent
Weight: 3.11 grams
Edge: Plain
Designer: Victor David Brenner
Diameter: 19.00 millimeters