The 1954 Wheat Lincoln Penny has almost 72 million mintage with no mint mark in Philadelphia. The average value for the 1954 Penny starts with the base price of $0.05 but can reach up to $16,000 depending on the mint state. Currently, the Philadelphia Mint has the highest value, followed by Denver.
Now, let’s determine the coin value of the 1954 Wheat Penny based on its grading and variety.
At a Glance: 1954 Penny Coin Value
Here’s a quick overview of the estimated prices for each variety based on Mint location and grading. Then, we’ll thoroughly discuss it later, including the value of each coin toning.
| 1954 Wheat Penny Value Overview | ||
| Mint Mark | Estimated Value | Auction Record |
| 1954 P 1C (Regular Strike) | $0.05 to $525.00 | $31,200 |
| 1954 D 1C (Regular Strike) | $0.05 to $525.00 | $7,638 |
| 1954 S 1C (Regular Strike) | $0.05 to $115.00 | $1,880.00 |
| 1954 1C RD (Proof) | $12.00 to $300.00 | $1,410.00 |
| 1954 1C CAM (Proof) | $15.00 to $2100.00 | $2,938.00 |
| 1954 1C DCAM (Proof) | $30.00 to $16000.00 | $14,950.00 |
A Look into The 1954 Lincoln Wheat Penny
The Lincoln Cent is among the most iconic coins in penny history. Its series is the first to feature a real person on a circulating coin, making it a striking curio for avid collectors or numismatists. The older version also drove the 1954 Penny to turn into a must-have model recently.
The 1954 Wheat Penny obverse side features the image of Abraham Lincoln at the center. The details are precise, even the marking of the hair and suit. Then, on the left side is an elevated inscription of the word “Liberty,” and opposing it is the mint year (1954). Lastly, the phrase “In God We Trust” is arch on top of the bust.
The reverse side does not feature bold imagery, unlike the 1959 version. Instead, both sides have a single wheat stalk—thus the alternative name. On the center are two raised inscriptions that read “One Cent” and “United States of America.” And above it is the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum,” a known motto of the U.S.
Victor David Brenner designed both sides of the 1954 Penny before changing it in 1959. In terms of the build, the coin forms from 95% copper and a 5% mixture of zinc and tin. It has a diameter of 19 mm with a mass of 3.11 grams. All these features appear on the varieties with only the mint mark changing.
The Three 1954 Wheat Penny Varieties
Learning the coin’s background, condition, and feature is crucial to understand its worth. That’s why, for those hunting for the 1954 Wheat Penny, here are the three variations to look out for.
1954 Wheat Penny: Philadelphia (No Mint Mark)
Among the series, Philadelphia had the largest number of mintage due to planchet problems in 1954. Some coin toning is dark and forms from the worn-out die.
- Mint: Philadelphia
- Mintage: 71,873,350
- Mint Mark: None
1954 Penny Grading And Value (No Mint Mark)
Wheat cents are typical since it’s used daily for transactions, but not all are worth keeping. A BN Lincoln Penny can fetch as much as $24.00, while the RB can amount to $47.50.
Although, it is evident that red cents are worth more than brown-colored ones. On average, a 1954 1C MS RD range from about $2.50 to $5,000, giving it a registry score of 7,317 for the latter.
To know which is valuable, check the base price below from poor to uncirculated conditions. (Note that this price issued by NGC may vary yearly depending on the average data provided by third-party sources).
| 1954 P Penny Value List | |||
| Grading | BN | RB | RD |
| Good | $0.05 | / | / |
| Very Good | $0.05 | / | / |
| Fine | $0.05 | / | / |
| Very Fine | $0.05 | / | / |
| Extra Fine | $0.10 | / | / |
| AU 50 | $0.10 | / | / |
| AU 53 | $0.15 | / | / |
| AU 55 | $0.20 | / | / |
| AU 58 | $0.25 | / | / |
| MS 60 | $0.50 | $0.75 | $2.50 |
| MS 60+ | / | $1.00 | / |
| MS 61 | $0.75 | $1.50 | $3.50 |
| MS 61+ | / | $1.75 | / |
| MS 62 | $1.00 | $2.50 | $5.00 |
| MS 62+ | / | $2.75 | / |
| MS 63 | $1.50 | $3.50 | $6.50 |
| MS 63+ | / | $4.00 | / |
| MS 64 | $2.50 | $5.00 | $12.00 |
| MS 64+ | / | / | / |
| MS 65 | $5.00 | $7.00 | $15.00 |
| MS 65+ | / | / | / |
| MS 66 | $12.50 | $19.00 | $38.00 |
| MS 66+ | / | / | / |
| MS 67 | $24.00 | $47.50 | $525.00 |
| MS 68 | / | / | $5,000.00 |
1954 D Wheat Penny: Denver Mint Mark
The majority of minted 1954-D pennies have quality strike-and-die conditions. But, the 1950s line has some spotting and staining issues. In all, it’s a matter of locating a noteworthy penny, whether it is an error coin on extremely rare.
- Mint: Denver
- Mintage: 251,553,500
- Mint Mark:D
1954 D Penny remains the same with Philadelphia mint, 1954 1C BN coins ranging from $0.05 to $24.00, MS RB ranging from $0.75 to $47.50, but MS RD only ranging from $2.50 to $525.00,
| 1954 D Penny Value List | |||
| Grading | BN | RB | RD |
| Good | $0.05 | / | / |
| Very Good | $0.05 | / | / |
| Fine | $0.05 | / | / |
| Very Fine | $0.05 | / | / |
| Extra Fine | $0.10 | / | / |
| AU 50 | $0.10 | / | / |
| AU 53 | $0.15 | / | / |
| AU 55 | $0.20 | / | / |
| AU 58 | $0.25 | / | / |
| MS 60 | $0.50 | $0.75 | $2.50 |
| MS 60+ | / | $1.00 | / |
| MS 61 | $0.75 | $1.50 | $3.50 |
| MS 61+ | / | $1.75 | / |
| MS 62 | $1.00 | $2.50 | $5.00 |
| MS 62+ | / | $2.75 | / |
| MS 63 | $1.50 | $3.50 | $6.50 |
| MS 63+ | / | $4.00 | / |
| MS 64 | $2.50 | $5.00 | $12.00 |
| MS 64+ | / | / | / |
| MS 65 | $5.00 | $7.00 | $15.00 |
| MS 65+ | / | / | / |
| MS 66 | $12.50 | $19.00 | $38.00 |
| MS 66+ | / | / | / |
| MS 67 | $24.00 | $47.50 | $525.00 |
| MS 68 | / | / | / |
1954 S Wheat Penny: San Francisco Mint Mark
The gems and error coins made a major break for this mint-marked cent despite the poor quality control of SF Mint. Many 1954-S coins have re-punched marks, attracting those series specialists. Take a look at some of the Mint details of the model:
- Mint: San Francisco
- Mintage: 96,190,000
- Mint Mark: S
The 1954 S Penny value in circulated condition value around $0.50 to $0.25, This is the same as the other two mint versions, but the remaining showed a massive decrease in value due to production errors. The highest evaluated price for MS-67 RD ranges from about $115 to $1350.
| 1954 S Penny Value List | |||
| Grading | BN | RB | RD |
| Good | $0.05 | / | / |
| Very Good | $0.05 | / | / |
| Fine | $0.05 | / | / |
| Very Fine | $0.05 | / | / |
| Extra Fine | $0.10 | / | / |
| AU 50 | $0.10 | / | / |
| AU 53 | $0.15 | / | / |
| AU 55 | $0.20 | / | / |
| AU 58 | $0.25 | / | / |
| MS 60 | $0.50 | $0.75 | $2.50 |
| MS 60+ | / | $1.00 | / |
| MS 61 | $0.75 | $1.50 | $3.50 |
| MS 61+ | / | $1.75 | / |
| MS 62 | $1.00 | $2.50 | $5.00 |
| MS 62+ | / | $2.75 | / |
| MS 63 | $1.50 | $3.50 | $6.50 |
| MS 63+ | / | $4.00 | / |
| MS 64 | $2.50 | $5.00 | $10.00 |
| MS 64+ | / | / | / |
| MS 65 | $5.00 | $7.00 | $15.00 |
| MS 65+ | / | / | / |
| MS 66 | $12.50 | $17.50 | $30.00 |
| MS 66+ | / | / | / |
| MS 67 | $25.00 | $35.00 | $115.00 |
| MS 68 | / | / | / |
Proof 1954 Wheat Penny
The 1954 Proof Cent comes in a box with cellophane packaging. However, many collectors remove it from the original wrapping to prevent it from color changing. Today, NGC estimated the Proof Set to be sold at $12.00 to $16,000.00. For the 1954 PF individual pricing, check the table below.
| 1954 Proof Wheat Penny Coin Value List | |||
| Grading | PR RD | PR CAM | PR DCAM |
| PR 60 | $12.00 | $15.00 | $30.00 |
| PR 61 | $14.00 | $17.00 | $40.00 |
| PR 62 | $16.00 | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| PR 62+ | $18.00 | $22.00 | $65.00 |
| PR 63 | $22.00 | $25.00 | $100.00 |
| PR 63+ | $24.00 | $30.00 | $125.00 |
| PR 64 | $28.00 | $35.00 | $240.00 |
| PR 64+ | $30.00 | $45.00 | $275.00 |
| PR 65 | $32.00 | $65.00 | $350.00 |
| PR 65+ | $38.00 | $80.00 | $450.00 |
| PR 66 | $55.00 | $100.00 | $800.00 |
| PR 66+ | $58.00 | $150.00 | $925.00 |
| PR 67 | $65.00 | $275.00 | $1,150.00 |
| PR 67+ | $115.00 | $700.00 | $5,000.00 |
| PR 68 | $300.00 | $2,100.00 | $16,000.00 |
The price of PR RD remained relatively stable in the historical price records of NGC since 2014. The PR DCAM, conversely, consistently rose from 2010 and remained the same for the past five years. But, the PR RD showed price inconsistency from 2010 to 2014 and stayed constant only after five years.
1954 Wheat Penny: Error Coins
As stated before, many error coins are in the 1954 Lincoln Cent series. Some are due to planchet issues, re-punching, and many more. But to give you a further idea, here are some error coins available to date.
1954 S Wheat Cent with BIE Error
BIE error happens when there is a die chip between the letter B and E in the word Liberty. The elevated mark (extra I) between the mentioned letter gives its name—BIE. Most of this comes from the 1950s series and values between $5 to $10. But some versions can range up to $30, depending on the condition.
Filled “R” Obverse Die Chip – RD 1954 D Wheat Cent
Many Lincoln cent issues come from filled die errors. It happens when the grease gets on a die, filling the open spaces of the element. A common example is the letter R and D on Liberty and Mint Mark, respectively. This type of error can range from $30 to $40.
1954 S Wheat Cent with Lamination Loss Mint Error
Lamination errors occur when there are trapped impurities within the metal. The planchet formed from the affected metal causes unlevelled coins. As a result, the coin field looks like it has a crater. Lamination loss by Mint error ranges from around $15 to $25.
1954 S Wheat Cent with Retained Lamination Mint Error
As its name suggests, retained lamination errors are flakes that remain attached to the coin. It happens when foreign objects mix in the metal, which causes the field to separate. And like the lamination loss, it is valued at around $15 to $25.
1954 S Wheat Penny DDO Error Coin
Double Die Coins are present with doubled images, either partially or fully. It is easily noticeable as some of the elements are offset or outlined. DDO happens when there is a defective hub or when struck twice. Currently, it sells at about $10 to $25.
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Jenson is a professional numismatist, a dedicated coin collector, a graduate of the College of Business at Oregon State, a life member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA), and an overall coin nerd. He is the founder of Coin Value List.
Jenson, I have over 1000. lincoln cents to sell,raw very nice color,fine to extremely fine,all in coin flaps with error marks listed on reverse side.years range fron 1917 thru 2009. I have war era coins such as 1943 steell original 1943 copper and 1944 copper coins which is rare.I would like to sell all of my coins at one time if possible so the next person could make a profit also.I can send you a list of my coins and also foreign coins as well. In my list i have saghawega dollar coin d mint.I would appreciate your help in any way you can. thanks!