1940-S Wheat Penny Value

1940-S Lincoln Wheat Cent

1940-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)

1940-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)

4¢ – 11¢

G-4 – VF-20

Uncirculated (MS-60)

$1.00

Brown

By grade

Typical value at each grade and colour. Penny Value estimate.
Grade	Brown	Red-Brown	Red
G-4Good	6¢	—	—
VG-8Very Good	6¢	—	—
F-12Fine	6¢	—	—
VF-20Very Fine	6¢	—	—
XF-40Extremely Fine	28¢	—	—
AU-50About Uncirculated	57¢	—	—
MS-60Mint State (Uncirculated)	$1.00	$1.50	—
MS-63Mint State (Uncirculated)	$1.50	$2.00	$3.50
MS-65Mint State (Uncirculated)	$5.50	$6.50	$11.00

Values as of Q4 2026 · Penny Value estimate · based on 2 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

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Take a photo of each side. Penny Value reads the date and the mint mark, tells you if it could be a 1940-S and what to check.

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How to identify it

S mint mark below the date
Copper alloy (bronze), about 3.11 g

Specs

Series: Lincoln Wheat Cent
Year: 1940
Mint: San Francisco
Mint mark: Below the date, on the front
Metal: Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc)
Weight: 3.11 g
Mintage: 112.9 million (112,940,000)
Source: Wikipedia
Designer: Victor David Brenner

Other 1940 pennies

1940
Philadelphia · 586.8 million made
7.5¢worn
$1.50MS-60
1940-D
Denver · 81.4 million made
7.5¢worn
$1.50MS-60
1940 Proof
Philadelphia · Proof · 15,872 made
Proof
$110proof

1940 penny values · Every Lincoln Wheat Cent · Penny value chart