Wheat pennies are US 1 cent coins with a wheat design on the reverse produced from 1909 to 1958. They are also known as wheatbacks or wheaties. The most valuable are the 1943 copper alloy coins and the 1909 coins with the “VDB” stamp. The US Mint refers to the coin as a “cent,” not a penny.
Wheat pennies are US 1 cent coins produced between 1909 and 1958. The “wheat” is a reference to the stylized sheaves of wheat that decorate the reverse of this series of coins. These coins may also be denominated wheatbacks, wheaties, or Lincoln wheat pennies. Prior to their introduction, the United States Mint produced the Indian cent, which was marked with the head of a brave Native American on the front and a wreath of either laurel or oak, depending on the year, on the reverse. In 1959, the wheat design was replaced with an engraving of the Lincoln Memorial.
The penny design was created by Victor David Brenner, a New York sculptor. Features the head of President Abraham Lincoln looking right on the front, with ‘In God We Trust’ above Lincoln’s head, the date of minting to the right and ‘Liberty’ to the left. On the reverse, two stalks of wheat cross at the bottom, wrapping around the sides of the coin to frame the inscription “ONE CENT,” with “e pluribus unum,” the motto of the United States, running across the top of the coin. The smaller letters reading “United States of America” are located just below the “ONE CENT” designation.
Several sets of grain pennies were substantial, making them valuable to collectors. The most valuable are the copper alloy pennies made in 1943. Since pennies are, as a general rule, made from copper alloy, some people are surprised to learn this. In fact, the 1943 coins were made from galvanized steel, because copper was a valuable wartime commodity. The estimated 10 copper alloy coins produced by accident, therefore, are extremely valuable.
Also valuable are the 1909 coins with a stamp with the inscription “VDB”, for the designer, under the stalks of wheat, as well as the 1974 aluminum pennies. These coins were produced as tests by the Mint and never circulated, but some can occasionally be found lying around. In 1955, a die error produced a series of double stamped coins that are also sought after by collectors.
Incidentally, the United States Mint does not refer to a 1-cent coin as a “penny.” The correct term is, in fact, “cent,” although the Mint has largely given up on trying to get people to refer to the coin in this way, wheat or not.
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