CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 1944 Wheat Penny value at an average of 15 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) could be worth $6. (see details)...

The 1944 wheat penny is somewhat common and can be sold for about 10 to 20 cents. However, uncirculated wheat pennies go for five or six dollars apiece. And pennies with missing letters or double stamping can have additional value depending on the market. There are 222 1944 s wheat penny for sale on Etsy, and they cost $3,747.49 on average. The most common 1944 s wheat penny material is ceramic. The most popular color?

Type:Wheat Penny
Year:1944
Mint Mark: No mint mark
Face Value: 0.01 USD
Total Produced: 1,435,400,000 [?]
Silver Content: 0%
Numismatic Value: 15 cents to $6.00
Value: As a rough estimate of this coins value you can assume this coin in average condition will be valued at somewhere around 15 cents, while one in certified mint state (MS+) condition could bring as much as $6 at auction. This price does not reference any standard coin grading scale. So when we say average, we mean in a similar condition to other coins issued in 1944, and mint state meaning it is certified MS+ by one of the top coin grading companies. [?].

Additional Info: 1944 wheat penny or wheat cent has many errors to report. Here are just a few. A 1944 S Die Break Oberse, Clipped coin errors, off center strikes, and double strikes are known to exist. Also there is an S over D mint mark error.

More of the Same

All US Pennies 1859 to 2021

Most Valuable Coins by Type...

[Top of Page]

**When we say that 1,435,400,000, of these coins were produced or minted in 1944 this number doesn't always match the actual circulation count for this coin. The numbers come from the United States mint, and they don't reflect coins that have been melted, destroyed, or those that have never been released. Please keep that in mind.

[Top of Page]

***Price subject to standard supply and demand laws, dealer premiums, and other market variations. Prices represent past values fetched at online auctions, estate sales, certified coins being sold by dealers, and user submitted values. While we wholeheartedly try to give honest price estimates there are many factors besides appearance, metal content, and rarity that help make up the coins overall value.Call or visit your local coin dealer for more information.

We use user submitted pictures please read that article if you are interested in adding your own.

[Top of Page]

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

1944 Wheat Penny:The Copper Returned, but Did It Affect Its Worth?

Launching your personal coin collection can be pleasurable, engaging and educational. But with the wide array of coins in the United States, you’ll be overwhelmed with where to begin.

Pennies are a great way to kick start collecting coins for beginners and for numismatists that already have other sets of coins.

Pennies are generally inexpensive, so it makes for a good startup collection. It may be a little tricky in the beginning, but educating yourself will help you jump-start this hobby.

Always take note of the important factors that will make or break your penny collection, such as the condition of the coin, rarity, and marketability.

One of the more inexpensive pennies is the 1944 Wheat Penny. It marks the comeback of Lincoln cents from the 1943 steelies to the standard copper wheaties. Let's delve deeper into this wheat head to know its real value.

The Nitty Gritty of the 1944 Wheatie

We know that wheat pennies were minted from 1909 to 1958. Since then, pennies were made from copper except the steel pennies of 1943 when copper was eliminated from the coin composition to aid in the United States’ war efforts in World War II.

But because of complaints in the steelies’ condition, the US mints decided to bring copper back in the penny’s mix. This and more make the 1944 wheat penny a coin worth holding onto.

The Essentials

1944 S Wheat Penny Value

• These Lincoln cents weigh 3.11 grams, has a diameter of 19.05 mm, a thickness of 1.55 mm, with plain edges. The penny’s Victor David Brenner design is the same as that of the 1909 penny.

  Its obverse features the bust of Abraham Lincoln and the reverse has two wheat horns, which is why it is also often called a wheat penny, wheat back, or a wheatie.

More than the Brass Tacks

• While the wheat back is inexpensive, the 1944 steel penny costs a fortune. Around 30 steel pennies from 1944 exist with each piece amounting from $75,000 to more than $375,000 depending on its grade.

Minting Quantity

1951 D Wheat Penny

• There are a total of about two billion Lincoln cents produced in 1944. Around 1,435,000,000 came from the Philadelphia Mint, 430,578,000 from the Denver Mint with a D mint mark, and 282,760,000 from the San Francisco Mint with an S mint mark. With a very high quantity of 1944 pennies, it is no surprise that these are common and are inexpensive.

Minting Quality

• 1944 is when the US Mints learned their lesson from the 1943 steelies and returned the copper into the wheaties, though it is not exactly the same composite as the 1942 pennies. Unlike the bronze pennies of 1909 to 1942 that were made with 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc mix, the brass pennies of 1944 has no trace of tin because they were made from striking recycled ammunition shells.

  The minor visual differences between the copper pennies of other years and the brass pennies of 1944 to 1946 are only distinguishable among the uncirculated coins and are negligible in heavily circulated wheaties. Majority of these pennies have no mint marks meaning they came from Philadelphia.

Pennies are generally inexpensive, so they make for good collection starters.

Boosting Your Wheat Penny’s Price

Wheat pennies are worth at least three times its face value, unless it is terribly worn out. Nowadays, the average estimated value of the 1944 WheatPenny is 15 cents for average condition to $6 for mint state. The numismatic value of a penny depends on a couple of key factors:

Coin grading

Coin grading uses the Sheldon Scale with corresponding points awarded for the overall coin condition, luster, marks, and motif. This is the biggest indicator of a penny’s appraisal. Uncirculated pennies have an average worth of $5. Those in mint state can be appraised for a little more.

Rarity and Marketability

With a high figure production, these pennies are not really rare and lots are still in circulation. Since it is more available, there is no need to compete for demand, hence its low appraisal at 10 to 20 cents for the heavily circulated grade.

While these are not really uncommon, it is best to start rummaging through coin rolls to get your wheat pennies for free or for a cheap price.

Collect as much as you can and keep them in proper storage conditions so you can sell it for a price when there is a drop in supply followed by an increase in demand.

Sources: