1925 Penny Value: How Much is it Worth Today?
Finding a sizeable collection of old coins is something to make anyone happy. It does not matter the condition of the coins; if they are U.S. coins from many years ago, you should get a good amount of money for the entire collection.
However, some old coins have better value than others, and the 1925 Lincoln penny or wheatback penny is one such coin. While there are many similar coins within the series, some are more valuable to collectors than the rest within the same series. But just how valuable is this penny?
This article explains how to determine the 1925 penny value using rare errors, mint marks, mintage, and coin grading. You will be better informed on how much you should get for this old coin if you have one or more.
1925 Penny Value Chart |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Mark | Good | Fine | Extremely Fine | Uncirculated |
| 1925 No Mint Mark Penny Value | $0.08 | $0.30 | $2.11 | $7 |
| 1925 ‘D’ Penny Value | $0.55 | $1.52 | $14 | $47 |
| 1925 ‘S’ Penny Value | $0.63 | $1.86 | $10 | $110 |
You may find different prices for this coin based on the condition and mint mark, but you must remember that the precious metals market has fluctuating prices. In other words, the melt value of these coins is critical in deciding the price of each. So, the value may also fluctuate.
The point remains that the 1925 penny is one of the most valuable ones within the wheat penny series, which has a long history. From the chart, you can see that coins with the S mint marks seem to have better value for collectors than others. The better the coin’s condition, the higher the price goes.
However, note that the collector is also a crucial part of the process. If they attach a sentimental value to a coin or require it to complete a particular collection, they may put a heavier price on it than usual. This is especially true if they have had difficulty finding that coin.
Coins without a mint mark come from the Philadelphia mint, and this plays a significant role in determining their value. The Denver mint struck coins with the D mint mark, and San Francisco struck coins with the S mint mark.
As mentioned, the Lincoln penny has an interesting history, starting from 1909, although the process of getting this particular design started a few years before that. President Theodore Roosevelt decided that the coins that were in circulation at that time were not artistic enough.
As a result of this observation, he demanded to know whether or not a foreign artist could be hired to handle the job of designing new coins to replace the old ones. Saint-Gaudens was hired and he came with his retinue of assistants to help with the design of the four gold coins and the one-cent coin.
His first design was an eagle for the obverse but was told that an eagle could not be on the one-cent coin. Instead, the design was used for one of the other coins while another design was sought for the penny. The design took longer than expected, but the other coins were designed and commissioned.
By 1907, the artist was sick to death and could no longer directly work on the project. He supervised his assistants for a few minutes every day until the coins were complete. Sadly, he died in August of the same year. Fortunately, the four gold pieces were completed and commissioned.
At this point, Roosevelt focused on the penny to get the best design possible. There were already demands for the assassinated President Lincoln to be honored on the penny, but the coinage to that point had been numismatic; no actual person had ever graced any coin.
However, Roosevelt liked the idea of honoring one of his predecessors and a good Republican. Besides, it was close to his 100th birth anniversary and it was desirable to do something commemorative. So, he adopted the idea and requested that the profile of Lincoln appear on the obverse.
Nobody can tell why he went that route, but he selected Victor D. Brenner for the job, skipping other artists in the country, including the dead artist’s assistants. Brenner was an artist that did a sculpting of the president and it was assumed that the discussion for the design was done behind closed doors.
The design came out fine and was loved by the people. Not only does it remind the American people of the significant role of the 16th president in emancipating slaves, but it also brings to mind a time of immense advancements in trade, manufacturing, and technology in the country.
Coin Condition
We always explain the condition of any old coin because of how it impacts its value. The older a coin is, the more likely it is to be worn. Most old coins are not well preserved; they usually have been circulated, which is a big determinant of their condition.
The same applies to the 1925 penny; while it is not among the oldest coins, it has been around for a long time and its fame means it has a large circulation. Only a few are likely to be in uncirculated or mint state if you can find any.
And talking about the state of the coin, you will typically find a coin in uncirculated condition, or what we call mint state. But you will find more coins in extremely fine conditions or find conditions, which are lower on the ladder of conditions. The least is a good condition, which means a coin has lost all its luster, details, and some markers.
Simply looking at a coin should tell you its condition. But knowing its actual worth or value based on that condition is not easy; you may need a professional grader to determine it. This is because coins in similar conditions can be further graded using a scale. We will discuss that later.
Coin Color
Another important aspect of the 1925 penny is the color. Because the coin is made mostly of copper, the color is usually bright. Collectors prefer bright coins over not-so-bright and dull ones, which significantly increases their value.
The penny can be red, reddish brown, or brown. Graders usually focus on coins with a red tone and in near-perfect condition. The reason is that it is only in this condition that you can get the true color and see it. The older the coin is, the duller the color becomes.
This also means that pennies with a red tone are expensive. For some buyers, this color is enough to give value, whether or not the coin has a mint mark or a rare error. Coins in MS 65 and above, if available, can fetch thousands of dollars.
1925 No Mint Mark Penny Value
There were almost 190,000,000 pennies struck in 1925 in three mints: Philadelphia, which is the main mint, Denver, and San Francisco. Philadelphia usually strikes more coins than the other mints, sometimes more than both mints combined, and this year is no different.
The main mint struck 139,949,000, which is a surprisingly high mintage. These coins have no mint marks, and since they are abundant in the rarity scale, it explains the low value of the no-mint mark coins, according to our chart.
This is the coin you will likely find in circulation; most of them are in circulated condition. Therefore, it is rare to find a mint state no-mint mark penny, especially one with a red tone. If you do, the coin may be worth as much as $50,000.
An MS 68+ RD 1925 penny once sold for about $65,000. A red-brown penny is close in color to the red tone but is not as valuable. An MS 64+ RB penny is valued at only about $300, which is significantly lower than the other grade.
The penny does not much too many details on it, which helps in finding the mint marks for coins with this unique marker. On the obverse, you will find the bust of Lincoln facing right with the mint date in front of him. To the left and just behind his collar is the legend LIBERTY. Around the top of his head and flush to the rim is the country’s motto IN GOD WE TRUST.
You will find the denomination on the reverse; it is the first thing you see once you turn the coin over. Under the words ONE CENT, you will find the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA struck in smaller sizes. Two wheat stalks frame these words, and it is the stalks that give the penny its popular name.
Around the top and flush with the rim are the words E PLURIBUS UNUM separated by dots. The size of the penny makes it easy to find any detail you want, including the mint mark, which is on the obverse.
1925 ‘D’ Penny Value
The Denver mint struck 22,580,000, only a fraction of the coins from the Philadelphia mint. Because of this low mintage and consequent rarity, coins with the D mint mark have more value than the Philly coins. You can see from the chart that the value is noticeably higher under every condition.
It is important to note that Denver had the lowest mintage for that year, lower than the San Francisco mint. However, this does not affect its value when it is compared to the San Francisco coins; coins with the D mint mark are valued lower than those with the S mint mark in most cases.
A Denver coin in a circulated condition may not fetch you more than $3 since the value largely depends on the condition. However, if you find a coin in pristine or excellent condition, you can get it for thousands of dollars, especially if the tone is bright.
For example, a 1925-D penny in MS 66+ and with an RD tone once sold for about $93,000. The same grade with a BN or brown tone sold only for about $2,600 and another with an RB tone sold for about $6,000. The lower the grade is, the less money you will get for it, sometimes as low as $100.
1925 ‘S’ Penny Value
San Francisco struck 26,380,000 out of the 188,909,000 pennies struck in 1925. As with the Denver coins, this mintage is only a fraction of the overall mintage and significantly smaller than the number from the Philly mint.
However, this mintage does not affect its value. If anything, it contributes to the overall worth placed on it. S coins are in high demand, which explains the value you see on the chart. It is clearly more valuable than the other coins, although it has a slightly higher mintage than Denver.
For highly circulated S pennies, you may get $5 at the most. The better the condition is, the higher the value goes; some coins sell for about $20 while others sell for thousands of dollars. The finest 1925-S penny is an MS 65+ RD coin, valued at about $60,000.
A penny of the same grade but with red-brown color is valued at about $10,000. This is only a small percentage of the red penny. A brown penny of the same value and with an S mint mark is valued at about $3,800.
1925 Penny Grading
We promised to talk about coin grading earlier in the article. The coin’s condition is only one level in knowing its value. Before a professional grader can put a price on any coin, including the 1925 penny, they must know its exact grade.
Graders use the Sheldon scale to value a coin after checking its condition. Coins that are highly degraded may not be graded, although they may get a tag to indicate their worth. But proper grading and pricing typically focus on coins in higher conditions.
This video explains the 1925 penny grading.
Rare 1925 Penny Error List
As mentioned, some unique markers add value to the 1925 pennies; the same is true about other coins. The following are some rare errors that make your penny more valuable than others.
1925 Penny Missing Letters Error
The missing letters error occurs if there is dirt or grease on any part of the matrix. When struck, the dirt obstructs some of the letters and the result is an error on the coin. Coins with this error are rare, but you can get up to $100 if you have one.
1925 Penny Doubled Die Error
Doubling or tripling of images occurs when the die does not strike the coin at the same point during the second or third strikes. Sometimes, the die’s design elements have a doubling issue, which reflects on the coin when struck.
This error is common but does not reduce the value of affected coins. A coin with this error and in a mint state may cost thousands of dollars. So, look out for doubling or tripling on the obverse or reverse as it may make your coin worth much more.
1925 Penny Off-center Error
The off-center error occurs when the die strikes the coin off its center. This is calculated in percentages and can be between 5% and 95%. The higher the percentage is, the more money the coin will fetch.
1925 Penny FAQs
Is a 1925 penny rare?
A 1925 penny is not rare. The primary reason is the mintage, which is almost 190,000,000. Consequently, there are many circulated 1925 pennies, reducing their value. The pennies that may be rare are those with errors.
How much is a 1925 wheat penny S mint mark worth?
A 1925-S wheat penny is about $5 in circulated condition and $200 in uncirculated condition. The value depends heavily on the grade, color, and errors. The most expensive 1925-S penny is valued at $60,000.
