1920-D Wheat Penny Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
Mintage: ~49.3 million struck
Estimated value · Source: USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026)
1920 D Wheat Penny
Mint: Denver (D)
Worth selling
Worth selling individually: list it on eBay or offer it to a local coin dealer. Grading fees would eat the profit, so sell it as-is.
Value by condition
| Good (G-4, heavily worn) | $1.24 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $2.50 |
| Fine (F-12) | $3.62 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $6.25 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $19 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $50 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $132 |
A 1920 Lincoln Wheat Cent struck at the Denver mint — a middle-era issue struck around the Depression-era mintage swings.
What a 1920 wheat penny looks like
Your 1920-D looks exactly like this, with "1920 and a small D below it" where the date sits in the photo.
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.
1920 penny: mints compared
| Version | Mintage | Value range |
|---|---|---|
| 1920-D Wheat Penny (this page) | ~49.3 million struck | $1.24–$132 |
| 1920 Wheat Penny | ~310 million struck | $0.30–$34 |
| 1920-S Wheat Penny | ~46.2 million struck | $1.24–$225 |
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 "D". 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.