1939-S Wheat Penny
The 1939-S Wheat Penny had a total mintage of over 52 million coins from the San Francisco Mint. This was a larger mintage for San Francisco compared to previous years with the Lincoln Cent series. This can be a difficult one to find in higher uncirculated grades in the brown variety, but seems possible to find some of the higher Mint State grades in red versions.
History of the 1939-S Wheat Penny
The 1939-S Wheat Penny is worth the effort to cherrypick through the coins to find ones that are well-struck and have attractive surfaces. This could be a more difficult hunt for the most beautiful coin compared to some of the others in the series. The Wheat Penny was designed by Victor David Brenner. At the time, 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, with the S mint mark under the date. The reverse features two stalks of durum wheat.
1939-S Wheat Penny Worth
The 1939-S Wheat Penny value ranges from under a hundred dollars for lower grade Mint State coins to upwards of four thousand dollars for higher grade coins in the red varieties. Wheat Pennies come in colors ranging from brown to brown-red to red varieties, with the red versions commanding a higher price. The 1939-S Wheat Penny would make a great addition to any Lincoln Cent series collection.
Type of coin: Penny
Year: 1939-S Wheat Penny
Wheat Penny Mint Mark: San Francisco
Total mintage: 52,070,000
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