1912 Wheat Penny Value: Price Chart by Grade & Mint

In 1912 the U.S. Mint struck about 83.0 million Lincoln cents for circulation: Philadelphia 68.2 million, Denver 10.4 million, San Francisco 4.4 million. That is 30% fewer than 1911. Among the 117 years from 1909 to 2025, 1912 ranks number 110 by total mintage (1 = most coins made), so it is one of the lower-mintage dates of the series. The scarcest 1912 issue by mintage is San Francisco (4,431,000); the most common is Philadelphia (68,153,060). Within the 1910s, 1912 ranks 8 of 10 years for mintage; the decade's high was 1919 (588.9 million) and its low was 1915 (56.0 million). Mint by mint: Philadelphia fell 33% from 1911; Denver fell 18% from 1911; San Francisco rose 10% from 1911. Proof cents for collectors: 2,145 from Philadelphia.

The mint mark, if any, sits under the date on the front of the coin. A 1912 cent with no mint mark was struck at Philadelphia and is the normal, common form for that mint. The letters you can find on 1912 circulation cents are D (Denver) and S (San Francisco). Proof cents for 1912 were struck at Philadelphia with no mint mark; they have mirror-like fields and came from collector sets, not from circulation.

• From 1909 through mid-1918 the designer's initials do not appear on the obverse. If a coin dated in this range shows tiny V.D.B. letters at the cut-off of Lincoln's shoulder, it is not an original strike from that year.
• Wheat cents were struck in bronze (3.11 g) except for 1943. Genuine coins show a plain edge and a slightly lighter, more reddish colour than modern zinc cents when uncirculated; a brown, evenly worn coin is the normal state for this era and is not damage.
• Rule out cleaning (unnatural brightness, fine parallel scratches) and flat machine doubling before you call anything a variety; see how to read dates and mint marks.

PCGS Price Guide values for 1912 cents (updated September 24, 2026, U.S. dollars, for coins certified by PCGS):

• 1912: $2–$22 in circulated grades (G4 to XF40); $125 in MS63 RD and $525 in MS65 RD.
• 1912-D: $12–$75 in circulated grades (G4 to XF40); $450 in MS63 RD and $1,250 in MS65 RD.
• 1912-S: $15–$75 in circulated grades (G4 to XF40); $525 in MS63 RD and $2,750 in MS65 RD.

San Francisco is the lowest-mintage 1912 issue (4,431,000 struck), so it is the mint collectors check first. Guide prices assume a certified coin; an uncertified, worn 1912 cent usually sells for less than the lowest figure above, often a few cents in bulk wheat-cent lots. RD means full original red copper, RB red-brown, BN brown; the color grade can multiply the price. How grade and variety turn into a number is explained in what makes a coin valuable.