1909-S S Over Horizontal S Wheat Penny Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
⚠ Key date / rare varietyMintage: no public mintage record
Estimated value · Source: USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026)
1909 S Wheat Penny · S Over Horizontal S
Mint: San Francisco (S)
Get it graded
Getting this graded by PCGS or NGC before selling usually pays off. Authentication matters too: fakes of key dates are common.
Value by condition
| Good (G-4, heavily worn) | $117 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $132 |
| Fine (F-12) | $154 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $217 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $249 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $344 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $527 |
Mint mark variety of the 1909-S: the S was first punched horizontally, then corrected. Remnants of the sideways S show under magnification.
What a 1909 wheat penny looks like
The base design is the same as the photo — the S Over Horizontal S variety is described in the sections below.
How to judge the condition of your coin
- Look at the wheat stalks first. On a worn coin (like the photo — about "Good" grade), the stalk lines are mostly smooth. If every line and grain in the stalks is sharp, you are looking at Extremely Fine or better.
- Then check Lincoln's cheek and jaw. These are the highest points on the front. Wear shows there before anywhere else; a flat cheek means a lower grade.
- When in doubt, grade down. Sellers systematically overgrade; use the lower row of the price table and you will not be disappointed.
Worn-coin photo: Mark Morgan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
1909 penny: mints compared
| Version | Mintage | Value range |
|---|---|---|
| 1909 Wheat Penny | ~72.7 million struck | $3.62–$30 |
| 1909-S Wheat Penny | ~1.8 million struck | $103–$498 |
Mintage and value can differ a lot by mint mark — compare the versions above before assuming yours is the common one.
How to confirm it's genuine
- The mint mark sits directly below the date — it should be the letter "S". A magnifier with light at a 45° angle works best.
- Never clean the coin: cleaning destroys the original surface and can cut the value in half.
- For any coin worth more than $200, PCGS/NGC grading fees (~$20–50) are money well spent.
Where to sell this coin
- eBay works best in the $1.00–$200 range. Take clear photos of both sides in natural light, and put the year, mint mark, and approximate grade in the title.
- A local coin dealer is the fastest way to cash out, but expect 60–70% of guide prices. Best for selling common dates in bulk.
- Graded high-value coins do best at auction houses like Heritage Auctions or Stack's Bowers, where realized prices are public.