Penny ValuePennies › Penny value chart › 1909
Indian Head cent · Lincoln Wheat cent1909 Penny Value
When worn, a 1909 Indian Head Penny, bronze is typically worth about $6.00 and a 1909 Wheat Penny, no V.D.B. about 7.5¢. The 1909-S Indian Head Penny (about $260 when worn) and the 1909-S Wheat Penny, no V.D.B. (about $87.00 when worn) are key dates. Worth looking for: the 1909-S V.D.B. Wheat Penny (about $750 when worn) and the 1909-S/Horizontal S Wheat Penny (about $70.00 when worn, a rough estimate from few sales).
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Check your own 1909 penny
Take a photo of each side. Penny Value helps you narrow down which 1909 penny you have and what to check.
Check your own pennyPenny Value is an Android app for now, so it isn't on the App Store. The values and checks on this page are free to use.Penny Value is an Android app. Open this page on your Android phone to check your own penny with a photo.
Every 1909 penny
Worn = typical value when worn (Good to Very Fine); MS-60 = uncirculated. Values as of Q4 2026 · Penny Value estimates · not an offer to buy.
- 1909Philadelphia · 14.4 million made$6.00worn$63.00MS-60
- 1909-SSan Francisco · 309,000 made$260worn$1,000MS-60
- 1909 ProofPhiladelphia · Proof · 2,175 made$140proof
- 1909 (no V.D.B.)Philadelphia · 72.7 million made7.5¢worn$24.00MS-60
- 1909 V.D.B.Philadelphia · 28 million made$5.50worn$23.00MS-60
- 1909-S (no V.D.B.)San Francisco · 1,825,000 made$87.00worn$180MS-60
- 1909-S/Horizontal SSan Francisco · Included in the 1,825,000 1909-S (no V.D.B.) coins; not counted separately.$70.00worn$190MS-60
- 1909-S V.D.B.San Francisco · 484,000 made$750worn$2,000MS-60
- 1909 Matte Proof (no V.D.B.)Philadelphia · Proof · 2,352 made$410proof
- 1909 V.D.B. Matte ProofPhiladelphia · Proof · 1,194 made$5,300proof
The 3 proof pennies listed here were sold to collectors in sets, so you won't normally find them in change.
How to tell them apart
- Indian Head design dated 1909 with an S under the wreath on the tails side: 1909-S
- Don't confuse it with the 1909-S Lincoln cent: 1909-S
- No mint mark under the date: 1909 V.D.B.
- V.D.B. at the bottom centre of the tails side, between the wheat stalks: 1909 V.D.B.
- S below the date: 1909-S (no V.D.B.)
- No V.D.B. on the tails side: 1909-S (no V.D.B.)
- The S mint mark shows a second S lying on its side underneath: 1909-S/Horizontal S
- S mint mark below the date: 1909-S V.D.B.
- V.D.B. at the bottom centre of the tails side: 1909-S V.D.B.
- A matte proof with V.D.B. on the tails side; only about 1,194 were made: 1909 V.D.B. Matte Proof
Mint marks
1909 pennies for circulation were struck in Philadelphia (no mint mark) and San Francisco (mint mark S). The mint mark is on the Indian Head cent, on the back, below the wreath; on the Lincoln Wheat cent, below the date, on the front.
Questions
How much is a 1909 penny worth?
When worn, a 1909 Indian Head Penny, bronze is typically worth about $6.00 and a 1909 Wheat Penny, no V.D.B. about 7.5¢. The 1909-S Indian Head Penny (about $260 when worn) and the 1909-S Wheat Penny, no V.D.B. (about $87.00 when worn) are key dates. Worth looking for: the 1909-S V.D.B. Wheat Penny (about $750 when worn) and the 1909-S/Horizontal S Wheat Penny (about $70.00 when worn, a rough estimate from few sales). These are Penny Value estimates as of Q4 2026, for information only.
Which 1909 pennies are worth the most?
Among 1909 pennies made for circulation: the 1909-S V.D.B. Wheat Penny (about $750 when worn), the 1909-S Indian Head Penny (about $260 when worn), the 1909-S Wheat Penny, no V.D.B. (about $87.00 when worn) and the 1909-S/Horizontal S Wheat Penny (about $70.00 when worn, a rough estimate from few sales). Valuable pennies are often faked or altered, so check the signs first. Grading costs about $30–$70, so it usually pays only for coins worth more than about $150.
Where is the mint mark on a 1909 penny?
1909 pennies for circulation were struck in Philadelphia (no mint mark) and San Francisco (mint mark S). The mint mark is on the Indian Head cent, on the back, below the wreath; on the Lincoln Wheat cent, below the date, on the front.
Is a 1909 penny silver or copper?
Regular 1909 pennies are bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc; about 3.11 g). A silver-colored 1909 penny has usually been plated or altered after it left the Mint.
How many 1909 pennies were made?
Recorded mintages for 1909 pennies made for circulation: Indian Head cent: Philadelphia 14.4 million and San Francisco 309,000; Lincoln Wheat cent: Philadelphia 100.7 million and San Francisco 2.3 million, about 117.7 million in all.
Is a 1909 penny rare?
Most are not: about 117.7 million were made for circulation. The scarce or valuable ones are the 1909-S V.D.B. Wheat Penny (about $750 when worn), the 1909-S Indian Head Penny (about $260 when worn) and the 1909-S Wheat Penny, no V.D.B. (about $87.00 when worn).
What 1909 penny errors are worth money?
Known 1909 varieties and errors include the 1909-S V.D.B. Wheat Penny (about $750 when worn), the 1909-S/Horizontal S Wheat Penny (about $70.00 when worn, a rough estimate from few sales) and the 1909 V.D.B. Wheat Penny (about $5.50 when worn). Other errors, such as off-center strikes or die cracks, can happen on any date; their value depends on the error and condition.