The 1944 Wheat Penny is one of the many interesting coins in the United States and one of the most cherished in the hearts of collectors. This is an excellent example of the small and big narratives tucked into the realm of the world of coins.
The Historical Context
This 1944 Wheat Penny value, more popularly known as the Lincoln Wheat Cent, was minted in the United States Mint and is a member of the series whose obverse bears the image of the 16th President of the United States–Abraham Lincoln. On the tail side, they depicted two sheaves of wheat to symbolize the agriculturally fertile nation for which the coin has the nickname Shilling.
War-Time Mintage
Pennies from 1944 circulated in the USA were produced in the middle of World War II. For the duration of the war, the traditional composition of the penny was altered because of the war: 95% copper, 5% tin, and zinc. In 1943, due to the war, coins were minted but while making pennies, copper was replaced by zinc-coated steel. But in 1944 the Mint was using again a predominant copper alloy but brass shell cases, a war left over.
Varieties and Values
The value of a 1944 Wheat Penny can vary significantly based on its condition, mint mark, and any errors:
- Mint Mark: The 1944 Wheat Penny was struck at the Philadelphia (with no mint mark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S) mints. For the most part, coins minted in Denver and San Francisco are normally more valuable.
- Condition: With any item of this nature, the condition of the item provides a general guideline for quality to valuation. Some specific coins such as move circulated or slightly circulated can even attract a higher price.
- Errors: Some of the error coins like the steel wheat penny 1944 with the poor number, because there are very few of them since they used steel planchets of 1943, can be rather valuable.
Current Market Value
In general, the average circulated 1944 Wheat Penny has a value of about 15–30 cents. Nonetheless, there are ones that have not been circulated in the market and can cost from $5-$10 or even more. Sometimes the mistakes are extremely rare, especially if in steel, which can easily be valued over thousands of dollars.
Conclusion
Not only is the 1944 Wheat Penny a type of money, it holds so much history within it. Regardless of the type and level of your numismatic interest, increasing one’s knowledge about the many factors that contributed to the rise of the price of the 2009 Lincoln cent will certainly help improve one’s appreciation of the coin. Therefore, if next time you stumble across a Wheat Penny circulation coin, you should consider yourself as an owner of one of the tiny treasures that are worth much more than their face value.
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