1952-S Wheat Penny Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
Mintage: ~138 million struck
Estimated value · Source: USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026)
1952 S Wheat Penny
Mint: San Francisco (S)
Keep it
Common date: not worth selling one by one. Keep it for your collection, or bundle it with other wheat pennies by the roll or bag.
Value by condition
| Fine (F-12) | $0.08 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $0.18 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $0.24 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $0.43 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $4.96 |
Grades without a published guide price are not shown.
A 1952 Lincoln Wheat Cent struck at the San Francisco mint — a final-years issue with huge surviving supply, often collected by the roll or bag.
What a 1952 wheat penny looks like
Your 1952-S looks exactly like this, with "1952 and a small S 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.
1952 penny: mints compared
| Version | Mintage | Value range |
|---|---|---|
| 1952-D Wheat Penny | ~746 million struck | $0.06–$2.50 |
| 1952 Wheat Penny | ~187 million struck | $0.06–$3.62 |
| 1952-S Wheat Penny (this page) | ~138 million struck | $0.08–$4.96 |
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.