How much is a 1947 d penny worth

The Lincoln penny has been a product of the United States Mint for almost as long as the mint has existed. Understanding this, it should not come as much of a surprise that the Lincoln is one of the most popular coins ever introduced into circulation. Many Lincolns are sought after by collectors, and the 1947 penny is no exception.

On the obverse side of the coin, the center is dominated by the large, detailed image of the famous Abraham Lincoln. Immediately to the left of the President is an inscription which reads “Liberty.” Opposite the Liberty inscription is one marking the 1947 year of minting. Finally, the phrase “In God We Trust” arches over the top of the obverse.

The reverse side of the coin features two inscriptions stacked on top of each other. One of these raised inscriptions reads “United States of America” while the other notates the “One Cent” face value of the Lincoln penny. The left and right outer edges of the reverse are marked by two wheat stalks, which explains why the coin is sometimes called the “Wheat Penny.” Arching overtop is the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum.”

Grading the 1947 Lincoln Penny

For collectors, the condition of a 1947 Lincoln is very important because, naturally, they only want to add the most pristine pieces to their collection. With that being said, these coins are so old that the condition can vary quite dramatically from piece to piece. This is why coin-grading is absolutely necessary for collectors. Below we will describe the different grades as well as what that grade means for the coin’s physical condition.

Uncirculated: A coin that is graded as being Uncirculated is a coin that, quite literally, never spent a day in circulation. These coins, having never exchanged hands, exist today in the same exact condition as when they were minted in 1947. Apart from some fading of the coin’s color due to age, these pieces are absolutely flawless.

Extremely Fine: A coin that is determined as being Extremely Fine is one that was likely never circulated, but is not free from damage. On the surfaces there will exist some minor flaws, and though these flaws might be invisible to the naked eye, they are able to be spotted via the grading process. Even something as small as a tiny scratch is enough to downgrade a coin from Uncirculated to Extremely Fine.

Fine: Fine is the grade given to coins that have either been circulated extensively and have somehow managed to avoid damage, or coins that might have been circulated for a few years before being kept in safekeeping. Regardless, you will notice some light scratching and some smoothing on the surfaces of the coin. Still, the raised aspects of the coin will be intact.

Good: A coin that is determined to be of Good grade is one that was circulated for an extended period of time, and shows plenty of signs of that circulation. From deep scratching to the complete smoothing away of some of the piece’s raised aspects, there will be very visible signs of wear and tear.

Pricing the 1947 Lincoln Penny

Determining the value of a 1947 Lincoln is as easy as assessing its type and condition. Because there were up to 3 different types of Lincolns minted annually, you might find different values for 3 1947 pennies of the same grade. Below is a chart that will help you determine the value of a 1947 Lincoln given its grade and type.

How much is a 1947 d penny worth

Lincoln Pennies

DATEGOODFINEEXTREMELY FINEUNCIRCULATED1947 Lincoln PennyN/AN/A$0.20$0.401947 Lincoln Penny (D)N/AN/A$0.20$0.401947 Lincoln Penny (S)N/AN/A$0.25$0.50Source: Red Book

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Have a 1947 wheat penny? Wondering about the 1947 penny value today?

1947 Penny

1947 wheat pennies range in value — depending on the mintmark and condition of the coin.

Some 1947 pennies are worth $1,000 or more!

Read on to see what your 1947 wheat penny is worth… 

1947 Penny Value

1947 pennies turn up in pocket change from time to time.

Some are worth more than others.

So what’s the value of your 1947 wheat penny?…

  • A typical, worn 1947 penny that you might find in circulation is worth 3 to 10 cents.
  • It may be worth a little bit more if it’s a nicer 1947 wheat penny that hasn’t been beat up in circulation.
  • A 1947 penny from the Denver (D mintmark) or San Francisco (S mintmark) mints are generally worth a little bit more than a 1947 penny from the Philadelphia Mint (no mintmark).

What About 1947 Proof Pennies?

A lot of folks know the Philadelphia Mint struck proof Lincoln wheat cents and wonder if there were any 1947 proof pennies made.

While the United States Mint did make proof wheat pennies in the 1940s, none were made from 1943 through 1949 (to focus production on essential circulating coinage and the striking of war medals).

Therefore, there are no 1947 proof cents.

What’s The Most Valuable 1947 Penny?

The record price of a 1947 penny is $9,200 — paid in 2002 for a Mint State-67 with original “Red” copper color and certified by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).

A Mint State-67 penny is just shy of being in numismatically perfect condition, or MS-70!

There are some coins that are never found in the grade of MS-70, and there are presently no known 1947 wheat pennies in that grade.

Other similarly well-preserved 1947 pennies are worth $1,000 or more.

IMPORTANT: Do You Know The Grade Of Your Penny?

To determine the true value of your 1947 penny, you first need to know what condition (or grade) your coin is in.

Grab a coin magnifier and a copy of the U.S. Coin Grading Standards book. Then, watch this video to see how to grade coins yourself at home:


How Many 1947 Pennies Were Made?

While 1947 Lincoln cents don’t turn up all of the time in pocket change, that’s not because they are necessarily rare, but rather because many people have hoarded them over the years.

Millions of 1947 pennies are in coin collections, penny jars, and vaults. But there are still many of them floating around in circulation!

You may be surprised to find out that hundreds of millions of 1947 cents were made. Here’s a breakdown on mintage figures for each of 3 mints that produced the 1947 wheat penny:

  • 1947 penny with no mintmark (Philadelphia) — 190,555,000 minted
  • 1947-D penny (Denver) — 194,750,000 minted
  • 1947-S penny (San Francisco) — 99,000,000 minted

That comes to a total of 484,305,000 pennies minted in 1947. (In U.S. dollars, that represents $4,843,050!)

 

More Info About Old U.S. Pennies

In addition to the links I’ve included above, here are some of our other articles about old wheat pennies and what they’re worth:

  • Old Lincoln Cents You Can Still Find In Pocket Change
  • Old Copper Pennies: Which Ones To Save & What They’re Worth
  • Which Old Pennies Are The Most Valuable?
  • 43 Most Valuable Pennies Worth Holding Onto

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Joshua

Joshua

I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!

Is a 1947 penny rare?

1947 wheat pennies are considered Abundant on the rarity scale. Many were saved, ranging in grade from mint condition to worn examples. A very affordable date and Philadelphia mint coin.

What is the rarest D penny?

1943-D Lincoln Bronze Cent Many of these coins exhibit wear from circulation. This is an indication that they were not "helped" by some unscrupulous mint employee. But the rarest of all is this single known pristine example from the Denver mint. It is the most valuable Lincoln penny in the world.