Money -> Small-Cents -> Lincoln-Wheat-1909-1958
Probably one of the easiest coins to acquire for a coin collection is the wheat penny. This coin was a United States penny minted from 1909 to 1958. The coin goes by many names, including the Lincoln Wheat Cent and Wheatie, and was worth 1 cent at the time it was minted. While few are worth more than that today, some uncirculated mintings have gone for thousands of dollars at auction.
Most of us who had grandparents or parents who kept pennies in jars have been able to search through those coins and find at least one wheat penny or two. The front of the penny looks indistinguishable, at first glance at least, from the pennies minted today because they still bear the bust of Lincoln on the front (or obverse) side of the coin. The back of course is different, because the two wheat stalks that were on the reverse of the wheat penny were replaced with the Lincoln memorial in 1959.
The change in the reverse design, however, isn’t the only different between the wheat penny and the modern penny. And there are even variations among wheat pennies, depending on the year the penny was minted. Some of the wheat pennies produced in the beginning featured the initials of the sculptor, Victor David Brenner, on the reverse side of the coin below the wheat stalks.
This was a cause of controversy, however, and in 1918 the initials VDB were moved to the front of the coin. You must look very closely at a wheat penny from those early years and you’ll see the tiny initials on the bottom of Lincoln’s bust, below his shoulder. The coins produced before the change was made in California are more valuable than most other types of these pennies, because less than half a million were produced by that mint before the public complained enough about the prominent initial display to have it changed.
These early pennies are called “VDB” cents due to the placement of the initials. If you happen to find a 1909 wheat penny with those initials on the back below the wheat stalks that was minted in San Francisco, California, even if the coin is in poor condition, it could be worth hundreds of dollars. Mint coins with that configuration can go for much, much more. VDB cents minted in Philadelphia hold much less value, because more were produced. The 1914-D coins are also typically quite valuable.
A wheat penny with a minting error can also be valuable, such as the 1922 penny that looks plain because the die was full and couldn’t imprint the coin, and one produced in 1955 which appears minted twice, known as the doubled die coin.
If you can find lots of wheat pennies for very little money, you might enjoy looking for these different variations. Someone without an interest in the wheat penny who puts several up for auction in a lot might not even be aware that they’re selling a gem.
Originally posted 2008-11-17 14:00:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Judging Your Collection Based on Coin Collecting Values If you are serious about collecting coins, then one of the things that you should be putting consideration into when collecting is coin collecting values. The thing about coin collecting values is that they let you know what price a particular coin is going for. In other words, if you...... -
Coin Collection and Coin Shows Anyone who is interested in expanding their coin collection is going to want to hit up some of the different coin shows in their area. These coin shows feature coin dealers who are looking to sell off large amounts of coins. They provide coin collectors with an incredible opportunity to...... -
Collecting Uncirculated Coins and Proof Coins The unique thing about coin collections is that there is a myriad of different ways to start a coin collection, and you can collect a wide variety of different coins or a small variety of very special coins depending on your interest. One of the options for coin collecting that...... -
3 Ways in Which Coin Collector Software Has Change the Industry There have been many changes in the world of coin collecting over the years. These changes have mostly been in regards to which coins are prized above others. Every once in a while a toll will come along which will help those in the industry to enjoy collecting more or...... -
United States Commemorative Coins The United States Mint gains authorization from the United States Congress to produce what are known as commemorative coins, which are produced rather regularly throughout the years for a myriad of different purposes. These coins are produced to commemorate, to celebrate or to honor people, events, places and institutions for......
Related Websites -
How to Sell Rare Coins Rare coins are some of the most sought after coins in the coin collecting world, providing individuals with interesting and unique collections that make others jealous. These are different coins with value that is generally higher than others, expensive coins that only serious coin collectors go after. If you have...... -
3 of the Many Collectable American Coins There are several rare and collectable coins from all over the world. If you are looking to get into collecting coins and you have a special interest in specifically American coins then there are plenty of options for you to choose from. You can find collectable American coins which range...... -
A Brief History of Old Canadian Coins Numismatists enjoy getting to know the history of any coins. This is why those interested in collecting Canadian coins are interested in getting the oldest coins possible as well as the rarest. As the history of the old Canadian coins is looked into, many are shocked to find out that...... -
Get to Know What Makes Up the Coin Collection Price Guide There are a few different things you will need to know if you are going to collect coins. You will need to know which coins are in the highest demand. You will need to know how to care for your coins to maintain a value. Above all else, you will...... -
How to Get Wild West Coins The Wild West proved to be such an exciting place and time. Immediately following the Civil War, for the next twenty years or so until the late 1880's, the lands west of the Louisiana Territory were a strange combination of towns and forts, Indian territory, cowboys and trails, outlaws, gold......
When it comes to 
