How Much is the 1945 Wheat Penny Worth?

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Numismatics expert Max Hockley explains how valuable these coins really are

Co-authored by Max Hockley and Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: April 3, 2026 Fact Checked

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Value

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Factors Affecting Value

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Appraising & Selling

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Historical Context

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Video

The 1945 Wheat Penny features the bust of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse and two sheaves of wheat on the reverse. They were produced in large numbers, so they’re fairly common, but a lot of collectors like them for their design and unique composition. We partnered with a numismatics expert to help us break down the value of these coins, what affects the value, and why they have such historical value.

Value of a 1945 Wheat Penny

Numismatics expert Max Hockley says that the 1945 Wheat Penny is a common coin that’s usually worth about 5 to 10 cents. However, they can sometimes be worth up to $6,000, depending on their condition, color, and mint mark. Coins with errors may also be worth more than face value.

Section 1 of 4:

What is a 1945 Wheat Penny worth?

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A 1945 wheat penny is usually worth 5 to 10 cents, but can be worth thousands. Hockley says, “This is a common date coin, and [it’s] not worth more than a standard wheat cent, which is about 5–10 cents. Even in high grades, it may only be worth a few dollars.”^{[1]
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Expert Source

Max Hockley
Numismatics and Precious Metals Expert

Expert Interview} In circulated condition—like the coins you’d find in your pocket change—they can be worth up to about $6.^{[2]
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- That said, the condition, color, mint mark, and any errors can all impact the value of a 1945 Wheat Penny.
- For example, the most expensive 1945 Wheat Penny ever sold was an MS-68 1945-D, and it brought in $14,400!^{[3]
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Meet the wikiHow Expert

Max Hockley is a numismatics expert and the creator of the Silverpicker YouTube channel, where he shares information about numismatics, precious metals, and personal finance with his audience of over 238K subscribers.

Section 2 of 4:

Factors Affecting the Value of a 1945 Wheat Penny

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1
Condition With a relatively common coin like the 1945 Wheat Penny, lower-quality coins are easy to find, but Mint (or Uncirculated) coins are rarer (there are thought to only be around 100 that exist in MS67 condition). Uncirculated coins are assigned a number between 60 and 70 based on their condition, with the grader adding a + for especially fine examples. Even a single point on the grading scale can have a big impact on the value:^{[4]
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- MS-63: $4 (Averages for 1945 Wheat Penny, no mint mark, Red)
- MS-64: $12
- MS-65: $18
- MS-66: $28
- MS-66+: $70
- MS-67: $260
- MS-67+: $6,250
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Mint mark 1945 Wheat Pennies can have one of three mint marks: S (San Francisco), D (Denver), or no mint mark (Philadelphia). Over 1 billion 1945 Wheat Pennies were minted in Philadelphia, but even though they’re the most common, they tend to have higher average values (possibly because there’s a bigger pool, so better examples can be found). Denver minted around 266 million pennies that year, and San Francisco only produced about 182 million.^{[5]
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- 1945 Wheat Penny No Mint Mark Value: $260 (MS-67, red)
- 1945 D Wheat Penny Value: $150 (MS-67, red)
- 1945 S Wheat Penny Value: $75
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Color The color of a Wheat Penny can also affect its value. There are three main colors: Red (RD), Red-Brown (RB), and Brown (BN). Red is the most valuable color, since it shows the least amount of wear and tarnish. Brown is typically the least valuable.^{[6]
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- Red (RD): These coins have a bright, shiny, copper luster. Most valuable 1945 Wheat Pennies will be uncirculated, red coins.
- Red-Brown (RB): These coins have a copperish shine, but not as bright as the red. They fall somewhere in the middle of the value spectrum.
- Brown (BN): These coins have a dull, brown, tarnished appearance. These coins aren’t usually valuable.
- Note: It’s hard to compare values across colors, because Red-Brown and Brown coins aren’t usually graded.
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Errors Collectors love coins with interesting errors—in fact, some of the most valuable Wheat Pennies ever sold featured an error. Even if your 1945 shows signs of wear, it could still be valuable if there was an error during the minting process. Some of the most common errors include:^{[7]
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- Double strike: The same planchet was struck by the dies twice, resulting in a slightly doubled image. This is usually the most obvious around the date and the word “LIBERTY.”
- Lamination error: Peeling or flaking on the surface of the coin caused by impurities in the metal.^{[8]
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- Struck on the wrong planchet: The coin was struck on a planchet intended for a different coin (usually a dime).
- Die breaks: A flaw in the die causing a poorly-defined raised area on the surface of the coin
- Clipped planchet: A round (“clipped”) portion is missing from the coin, caused by an error when the planchet was punched out.
- Off-center strike: The planchet shifted out of place before it was struck, resulting in a coin that was printed off-center.

Section 3 of 4:

How to Appraise & Sell 1945 Wheat Pennies

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Have especially fine coins professionally graded. If you come across a coin that you believe to be uncirculated, have it graded by a major coin grading service. The most popular are Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS), Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), and CAC Grading.
- It usually costs around $40–$50 to have coins graded, plus shipping, so it’s only worth it if the coin is nearly flawless. Even relatively good 1945 Wheat Pennies may not bring enough at auction to make up for the cost of grading.
- If you want to sell your coins, consider listing them through an auction house like Heritage Auctions, Stacks Bowers, or a local coin shop. Or, if you prefer, you can list it on an auction site like eBay.

Section 4 of 4:

1945 Wheat Penny Historical Context

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The 1945 Wheat Penny moved away from copper as a base material. In 1945, World War II was still having a huge economic impact on the United States. Copper was in short supply, so many of the coins were produced using leftover brass shell casings instead of the typical copper planchets.^{[9]
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- The composition of shell case pennies is 95% copper and 5% zinc.
- No one is exactly sure how many 1945 Wheat Pennies were made using shell casings.
- It’s difficult to tell the shell case pennies from standard copper pennies, but they can sometimes develop a mottled appearance on the surface of the coin, with pink or purple streaking.