1931-S Lincoln Wheat Penny Value

Buying a 1931-S Lincoln Wheat Penny

What to check before you pay, specific to this date and its 866,000-coin mintage.

1. 1

   Read the grade before the price

   The same date runs from about $103 worn to $249 at the top of the scale — a 2× spread. Nearly all of that gap is condition, not the date on the coin, so work out where an example sits on the table above before deciding whether its asking price is fair.

2. 2

   Look hard at the S mint mark

   Every figure on this page depends on that S. The same year from another mint is a far more common coin, which is exactly why added and altered mint marks are the usual way this date gets faked. Ask for a close-up of the mark itself — a listing title claiming it is not evidence.

3. 3

   Certified or raw both work here

   Grading fees would eat much of what this coin is worth, so raw examples are normal here and nothing to be wary of. Judge it on clear photos of both sides and the seller's track record instead.

4. 4

   Compare sellers, not price guides

   Every Lincoln Wheat Penny listed here is priced by an individual seller, so the same coin in the same grade can differ by a wide margin on any given day. Sort by price, check Metal Points and order history for a sense of the seller's record, and message them if the photos don't show enough to grade confidently.