1926-S Wheat Penny Value

1926-S Lincoln Cent

Semi-key

Common when worn; much scarcer in unworn condition with original red color.

1926-S Wheat Penny: front (type example, 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent) — Type example: 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent. Your coin's date and mint mark may differ. The V.D.B. initials on this example's back were removed during 1909, so later wheat pennies don't have them.
Photo credits
National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History (photo: Jaclyn Nash) (PD; source)

1926-S Wheat Penny: back (type example, 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent) — Type example: 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent. Your coin's date and mint mark may differ. The V.D.B. initials on this example's back were removed during 1909, so later wheat pennies don't have them.
Photo credits
National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History (photo: Jaclyn Nash) (PD; source)

Value by condition

Penny Value estimate · values as of Q4 2026

Worn (Good to Very Fine)

$64.00 – $200

G-4 – VF-20

Uncirculated (MS-60)

$300

Brown

By grade

Typical value at each grade and colour. Penny Value estimate.
Grade	Brown	Red-Brown	Red
G-4Good	$64.00	—	—
VG-8Very Good	$99.00	—	—
F-12Fine	$140	—	—
VF-20Very Fine	$200	—	—
XF-40Extremely Fine	$290	—	—
AU-50About Uncirculated	$290	—	—
MS-60Mint State (Uncirculated)	$300	$300	—
MS-63Mint State (Uncirculated)	$1,400	$1,700	$3,000
MS-65Mint State (Uncirculated)	$4,700	$5,800	$10,000

Values as of Q4 2026 · Penny Value estimate · based on 4 recorded sales · few sales, so treat it as a rough guide

Penny Value estimate, 2026-Q4, from public sale records, mintage and survival data. It isn't a price guide or an offer.

How Penny Value estimates values

Check your own penny

Take a photo of each side. Penny Value reads the date and the mint mark, tells you if it could be a 1926-S and what to check.

Check your own penny

Penny 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.

How to identify it

S below the date
Very rare with full original red colour

What to check

What a genuine 1926-S shows:

S mint mark under the date: YesIs there a small letter S directly below the date on the heads side?

To check yours, photograph

Mint mark close-up

Specs

Series: Lincoln Wheat Cent
Year: 1926
Mint: San Francisco
Mint mark: Below the date, on the front
Metal: Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc)
Weight: 3.11 g
Mintage: 4.6 million (4,550,000)
Source: Wikipedia
Designer: Victor David Brenner

Other 1926 pennies

1926
Philadelphia · 157.1 million made
7.5¢worn
$43.00MS-60
1926-D
Denver · 28 million made
7.5¢worn
$93.00MS-60

1926 penny values · Every Lincoln Wheat Cent · Penny value chart