1931-S Wheat Penny Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
⚠ Key date / rare varietyMintage: ~866,000 struck
Estimated value · Source: USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026)
1931 S Wheat Penny
Mint: San Francisco (S)
Get it graded
Getting this graded by PCGS or NGC before selling usually pays off. Authentication matters too: fakes of key dates are common.
Value by condition
| Good (G-4, heavily worn) | $92 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $103 |
| Fine (F-12) | $117 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $123 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $154 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $178 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $249 |
Only about 866,000 struck — the second-lowest mintage of the series. Hoarded by collectors when new, so circulated examples are more available than the mintage suggests, and the price ladder is gentle until Mint State.
See the full page for this coin (mintage, how to identify it, where to sell)How to confirm it's genuine
- The mint mark sits directly below the date — it should be the letter "S". A magnifier with light at a 45° angle works best.
- Never clean the coin: cleaning destroys the original surface and can cut the value in half.
- For any coin worth more than $200, PCGS/NGC grading fees (~$20–50) are money well spent.
Where to sell this coin
- eBay works best in the $1.00–$200 range. Take clear photos of both sides in natural light, and put the year, mint mark, and approximate grade in the title.
- A local coin dealer is the fastest way to cash out, but expect 60–70% of guide prices. Best for selling common dates in bulk.
- Graded high-value coins do best at auction houses like Heritage Auctions or Stack's Bowers, where realized prices are public.