1943-S Wheat Penny Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
Mintage: ~192 million struck
Estimated value · Source: USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026)
1943 S Wheat Penny · Steel
Mint: San Francisco (S)
Keep it
Common date: not worth selling one by one. Keep it for your collection, or bundle it with other wheat pennies by the roll or bag.
Value by condition
| Good (G-4, heavily worn) | $0.30 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $0.36 |
| Fine (F-12) | $0.49 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.80 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.93 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $1.24 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $25 |
The San Francisco issue of the 1943 steel cent — the lowest mintage of the three mints that year.
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.
- 1943 self-test: if a magnet sticks, it's a normal steel cent. If it doesn't stick, you may have the rare bronze error — get it professionally authenticated immediately.
- 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.