1920 Wheat Penny Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
A 1920 Wheat Penny in circulated condition starts around $0.30 at Good-4 grade for the Philadelphia issue, while uncirculated examples can reach up to $225 at MS63 for the San Francisco mint. Proofs were not produced for regular 1920 cents.
Original surfaces, color and wear all affect what a buyer will actually pay, and major errors are valued separately from these guide figures.
Fast Way to Identify Your 1920 Wheat Penny
Want a quick read on your 1920 penny? Upload clear photos of both the front and back of your coin for a preliminary identification.
This can help you figure out which mint struck it and spot any obvious features worth investigating further. Good lighting and a steady shot make all the difference.
1920 Wheat Penny Value
Upload both sides of your 1920 Wheat Penny.
Front Obverse
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Back Reverse
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Which 1920 Wheat Penny Versions Are Worth Money?
- The 1920-S (San Francisco) carries the highest guide values of the three mints, reaching about $225 at MS63 versus $34 for Philadelphia at the same grade.
- The 1920-D (Denver) commands a premium over Philadelphia in circulated grades, with a Good-4 guide value of $1.24 compared to $0.30 for the no-mintmark issue.
- Coins with original, uncleaned surfaces and strong remaining luster bring the best returns regardless of mint.
- Recognized minting errors such as doubled dies, repunched mintmarks and clipped planchets can add value beyond standard guide prices when authenticated.
Step 1: Identify Your 1920 Wheat Penny Mint Mark and Version
Flip the coin over to the obverse and look just below the date for a small mintmark. No letter means Philadelphia.
A "D" means Denver. An "S" means San Francisco.
All three mints produced cents this year.
The 1920 Wheat cent has Lincoln's portrait on the front and two wheat ears framing "ONE CENT" on the back. It is a copper-alloy coin, 95% copper with 5% tin and zinc, weighing about 3.11 grams with a plain (smooth) edge.
No regular proof cents were made this year, so every genuine 1920 penny you encounter is a business strike.
Color matters but does not determine grade by itself. A coin described as "red" retains most of its original copper luster, "brown" has toned over time, and "red-brown" sits between.
These color labels affect value independently from the amount of wear on the coin.
Step 2: Check Your 1920 Wheat Penny Grade
Start with the high points on Lincoln's cheek, jawline and hair above the ear. On a well-worn coin, these areas blend together into flat, smooth patches.
A lightly circulated piece still shows separation in the hair strands and a defined cheekbone.
On the reverse, check the individual wheat grain lines and the horizontal lines between the stalks. These wear down progressively, so comparing yours to the reference image gives you a quick read on approximate grade.
A weak original strike can leave mushy detail even without wear, so look for luster in the protected areas around the letters. If the fields still have some cartwheel shine, the coin likely saw little circulation regardless of soft spots.
Cleaning, scratches and corrosion are separate factors that reduce a coin's appeal to buyers. A naturally toned brown cent with honest wear is generally preferred over a cleaned coin that looks artificially bright.
Step 3: Check 1920 Wheat Penny Value by Mint and Version
1920 Wheat Penny
The 1920 Philadelphia cent has no mintmark below the date. It is a business strike in the standard 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc alloy at 3.11 grams.
This is the most common branch of the three mints for this date.
Guide values run from about $0.30 in Good-4 up to around $34 at MS63. Those figures do not specify color designation, so a certified red example at the same grade may trade differently than an unspecified or brown coin.
Circulated pieces are plentiful and affordable, making this a straightforward date for a Wheat cent set.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF | XF 40 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| XF 45 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU | AU 50 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AU 53 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | — | — | — | |
| MS 67 | — | — | — | |
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1920 Wheat Penny — D
Look for a small "D" mintmark below the date to confirm a Denver strike. Same alloy and weight as the Philadelphia issue.
The 1920-D starts at roughly $1.24 in Good-4 and climbs to about $132 at MS63 according to guide estimates. That is a meaningful jump over the Philadelphia coin, especially in uncirculated condition.
Denver cents from this era tend to come with softer strikes, so do not confuse weak detail from the die with heavy wear. Check for luster in protected areas before assuming a low grade.
Coin Value Lookup is a good starting point if you want to compare guide values across different dates and mints in the Wheat cent series.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF | XF 40 | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF 45 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU | AU 50 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 53 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| MS 61 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | — | — | — | |
| MS 67 | — | — | — | |
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1920 Wheat Penny — S
The "S" mintmark below the date identifies a San Francisco strike. This is the branch that commands the highest premium for 1920.
Guide values range from about $1.24 at Good-4 to approximately $225 at MS63, making it the priciest of the three mints at the uncirculated level. San Francisco cents of this period are not scarce in low grades, but finding one with strong detail and original surfaces in mint state is another story.
As with Denver, strike quality varies. Compare your coin carefully to known examples before concluding it is heavily worn.
A coin with remaining luster but soft hair detail may simply reflect the die, not the grade.
| Range | Grade | Price | Auction Records | Appraisal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | PO 1 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| FR | FR 2 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| AG | AG 3 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G | G 4 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| G 6 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VG | VG 8 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VG 10 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| F | F 12 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| F 15 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF | VF 20 | — | Coin Identifier | |
| VF 25 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| VF 30 | Coin Identifier | |||
| VF 35 | — | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF | XF 40 | Coin Identifier | ||
| XF 45 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU | AU 50 | Coin Identifier | ||
| AU 53 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 55 | Coin Identifier | |||
| AU 58 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS | MS 60 | Coin Identifier | ||
| MS 61 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 62 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 63 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 64 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 65 | Coin Identifier | |||
| MS 66 | — | — | — | |
| MS 67 | — | — | — | |
| MS 68 | — | — | — | |
| MS 69 | — | — | — | |
| MS 70 | — | — | — |
1920 Wheat Penny Error List
1. 1920 Wheat Penny — Rotated Dies
On a normal U.S. coin, if you hold the obverse upright and flip it top to bottom, the reverse should also appear upright. A rotated die error means the reverse is turned at an angle relative to where it should be.
To check, hold Lincoln right-side up, then rotate the coin on its vertical axis like turning a page. If the wheat ears on the back are tilted, you may have a die rotation.
The greater the rotation, the more unusual the coin.
Be careful not to confuse this with simply holding the coin at an angle in a photo. A genuine rotation is consistent every time you flip the coin.
Value depends on the degree of rotation and the coin's overall condition, so individual assessment by a grading service is the practical route for pricing.
2. 1920 Wheat Penny — Clipped Planchet
A clipped planchet means the blank that became your coin was incompletely punched from the metal strip before striking. The result is a missing curved, straight or irregular section along the edge.
Look for a smooth, concave absence of metal rather than a jagged break. On a genuine clip, you will often see a zone of weakness in the design directly opposite the missing area, caused by incomplete metal flow during striking.
That opposite weakness is a good confirmation.
Filed edges, post-mint damage or corrosion can mimic a clip, so examine the edge texture carefully. A real clip has a natural, rolled-looking edge at the missing portion.
Pricing depends on the size and type of clip and the coin's condition, so professional authentication is the best path to an accurate assessment.
3. 1920 Wheat Penny — Doubled Die Obverse
A doubled die obverse on a 1920 Wheat cent shows consistent doubling on obverse design elements such as lettering, the date or Lincoln's profile. The key word is consistent: every letter or feature affected shifts in the same direction by the same amount.
Compare your coin to a normal 1920 cent under the same magnification and lighting. True die doubling produces notching or separation in the letters, not a flat shelf along one side.
Machine doubling, which is far more common and far less valuable, tends to leave a flat, shelf-like distortion that lacks the sharp secondary image.
If you suspect doubling, photograph the strongest area at high magnification and compare carefully. Value varies widely depending on the specific variety, its strength, and the coin's grade, so individual professional assessment is appropriate.
4. 1920 Wheat Penny — Repunched Mintmark
Repunched mintmarks apply only to the Denver and San Francisco issues, since Philadelphia coins carry no mintmark. Look at the "D" or "S" below the date under magnification for traces of a second, slightly offset impression of the same letter.
A genuine repunched mintmark shows remnants of an earlier punch position, often visible as a partial extra serif, a shadow or a secondary outline near the primary letter. This is distinct from machine doubling, which produces a flat shelf, and from die chips or corrosion that can distort the mintmark's shape.
Compare your mintmark side by side with a normal example at the same magnification. Pricing depends on the specific repunch variety and overall coin condition, making individual professional evaluation the best approach.
5. 1920 Wheat Penny — BIE Die Break
A BIE die break is a raised vertical line or bump between the letters B and E in LIBERTY on the obverse. It is caused by a crack or chip in the die that fills with metal during striking.
Check LIBERTY carefully under magnification. The break typically looks like a small raised capital I standing between B and E.
It should be raised above the field, not incised. Dirt, scratches or a stray piece of debris stuck to the surface can look similar, so clean your loupe and examine the area from multiple angles.
These are a popular niche among Wheat cent collectors because they are visually distinctive and easy to spot. Value depends on the prominence of the break and the coin's condition.
Individual assessment is appropriate since no standard price range is adopted for this category.
6. 1920 Wheat Penny — Broadstrike
A broadstrike happens when the collar die, which normally confines the planchet and forms the edge, fails to engage. The result is a coin that spreads outward during striking, appearing slightly larger than normal with a smooth, undefined edge instead of the usual raised rim.
The full design is still present, which distinguishes a broadstrike from an off-center error. If parts of the design are missing on one side, that is a different category.
Also check that the coin was not flattened after minting; post-strike damage typically shows uneven distortion and surface marks inconsistent with a single press event.
A genuine broadstrike retains a natural metal-flow appearance at the edge. Pricing depends on the severity and the coin's preservation, so professional authentication and individual evaluation are recommended.
7. 1920 Wheat Penny — Lamination / Split Planchet
Lamination errors appear as peeling, flaking or separated layers of metal on the coin's surface. They result from impurities or gas trapped within the planchet alloy before striking.
Look for a raised flap of metal, a missing layer exposing a different texture underneath, or a crack that seems to run parallel to the surface rather than through it. Photograph both the affected face and the edge together, since the edge often reveals the depth of the separation.
Corrosion, deliberate scraping or environmental damage can mimic a lamination, so examine whether the separation follows the natural contour of the coin rather than showing tool marks or irregular pitting. Retained flaps that are still attached are generally more collectible than areas where the metal has completely peeled away.
Value depends on size, location and overall coin condition; individual professional evaluation is the way to go.
