1931 values by mint mark
A coin with no mint mark was struck in Philadelphia.
| Coin | Mint | Mintage | Value, worn | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Philadelphia, no letter | 19,396,000 | $0.52 to $3.14 | Scarce |
| 1931-D | Denver | 4,480,000 | $2.93 to $12 | Scarce |
| 1931-S | San Francisco | 866,000 | $27 to $72 | Key |
Not sure which one you have? Scan it, and Coin Finder reads the mint mark for you.
Scan your coinThe 1931-S is the key date and the one to hunt for in a jar of old pennies. The 1931-D comes next.
How to tell
This cent shows Lincoln on the front and two ears of wheat on the back. It was designed by Victor D. Brenner. To check a 1931 penny:
- Confirm the date reads 1931 and that the back shows two wheat ears.
- Look for a small mint mark letter on the coin. It will be an S, a D, or no letter at all.
- Read the mint mark: no mint mark means the plain 1931, D means the 1931-D, and S means the 1931-S.
- Check the wear. A coin that is lightly worn is worth more than one that is heavily worn.
Which 1931 to keep
The 1931-S
The San Francisco coin is the one that matters. Only 866,000 were made, the fewest of the regular wheat cents after the 1909-S VDB. Even a very worn one is worth far more than a common year, and the price comes from that scarcity, not from the copper.
The 1931-D
The Denver coin is much scarcer than the plain 1931 and worth more than face in any condition. A worn one is worth $2.93 to $12.
The plain 1931
With no mint mark, this is the most common of the three and the lowest in value. Few were made in the Depression years, so it is still scarce and worth more as a collectible than as metal.
Condition
Wear lowers value. A 1931 penny that is heavily worn sits at the low end of its range, and one that is lightly worn sits near the top. Do not clean the coin. Scrubbing, polishing or dipping leaves marks and lowers its value, even when the coin looks brighter. If you think you have a 1931-S in good shape, a professional grading service can tell you its grade, and a dealer can tell you what it would sell for.
Other wheat cents to check
The 1931-S is not the only wheat cent worth a look. The 1909-S with the VDB initials on the back and the 1914-D are also hard to find. Two mistakes are worth checking for as well: a 1955 cent with a doubled date and lettering, and a 1922 cent with no D mint mark. A copper 1943 cent or a steel 1944 cent is very valuable too, but a magnet tells them apart, and most are fakes. See the guides for 1909, 1914, 1922, 1943 and 1955. For the whole series, see Lincoln wheat penny values or all Lincoln cents.
Metal value
- $0.04 for bronze (95% copper, 2.5% tin, 2.5% zinc, 3.11 g). The 2.5% tin is left out: it adds a small fraction of a cent.
Questions
Is a 1931 penny worth anything?
Yes, it can be. A plain 1931 is worth $0.52 to $3.14, and the D and S coins are worth more. The mint mark and the wear decide where a coin falls.
Which 1931 penny is the most valuable?
The 1931-S. It had the lowest mintage of the three, and it is worth the most even when worn.
What if my 1931 penny has no mint mark?
Then it is the plain 1931. It is scarce, but it is the lowest in value of the three.
Should I clean my 1931 penny before selling it?
No. Cleaning lowers a coin's value. Leave it as it is and let a dealer or grading service judge it.
More Lincoln cents to check
Check the rest of your change
Over 1,100 US and UK coins by year and mint mark, each value with its source and the date it was checked.
