Wheat pennies coins are made on the 100th birthday of Lincoln and are important coins in USA history. These coins are important for collectors and can be of some dollars to thousands of dollars. But pennies are not valuable some are. Here we will cover details of 1930 Wheat pennies, features, Errors, and factors that help to find high-value coins. So let’s get started with.
History of 1930 Wheat Penny
The back side of Lincoln wheat pennies comes with two wheat stalks so these pennies are called wheat pennies. These coins were made from 1909 to 1959 and then replaced with Memorial coins. Where wheat pennies were replaced with Lincoln Memorial. The wheat ear is used as a symbol of prosperity. Before wheat penny coins the real person photo was not used on coins and older coins come with photos of Indian Chief or Lady Liberty. Until 1909 it was not good to add people to a person on coins. But in 1909 the US wanted to celebrate the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln. So, Theodore Roosevelt, the president suggested making pennies for celebrating the birthdays by having a photo of the president. The designer Victor David Brenner made the design for these coins.
The design of Brenner was submitted but go for some changes. So in the design, there was added Lincoln bust lowering with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST previous design did not have it.
Brenner added the full name of the coin’s reverse side which was changed to its initials VDB. The minting of pennies stopped after the creation of 484,000. It occurred due to objects with initials on coins there were not reports that support it. Some say it was due to objections of Chief Engraver, Charles Barber.
Either way, the initials were removed irrespective of objections of the numismatic community. So initials of the designer were not added to coins unitll 1918.
| Penny mint | Mintage |
| 1930 | 157,145,000 |
| 1930-D | 40,100,000 |
| 1930-S | 24,286,000 |
| Total | 221,531,000 |
1930 Wheat Penny Grading
| Number | Grade |
|---|---|
| 1 | Basal State-1 |
| 2 | Fair |
| 3 | Very Fair |
| 4, 5, 6 | Good |
| 7, 8, 10 | Very Good |
| 12, 15 | Fine |
| 20, 30 | Very Fine |
| 40 | Extremely Fine |
| 50 | About Uncirculated |
| 60 | MS |
| 65 | MS |
| 70 | MS |
1930 Wheat Penny Details
- Types: Lincoln Wheat pennies
- Mints: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
- Total mintage: 221,801,000
- Diameter: 19.00 millimeters
- Composition: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
- Weight: 3.11 grams
- Obverse designer: Victor David Brenner
- Reverse designer: Victor David Brenner
- Edge: Plain
1930 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny Value
The Philadelphia Mint made about 157,415,000 wheat pennies in 1930. These pennies do not have mint mark and can come in different grades and conditions. The circulating 1930 penny and good condition can be about 0.35 dollars and extremely fine coins are about 1.51 dollars.
MS67 grade uncirculated 1930 no-mint mark pennies have a value in the range of 475 dollars to 650 dollars according to colors and grade.
The 1930 wheat pennies MS63 red and brown colors are about 24 dollars.
MS67 grade red and brown pennies are about $475.
MS67 grade 1930 Red Philadelphia penny has a value of about 650 dollars and MS68 grade coin sold for $12,750.
Some most valuable 1930 No Mint Mark Wheat Pennies are.
- MS67BN sold in 2022 for 594 dollars.
- red-brown 1930 no-mint mark wheat penny MS67RB grade sold for 432 dollars in 2018 at auctions.
- MS67RD graded penny sold for $10,925.
1930 D Wheat Penny Value
40,100,000 Wheat Pennies were made at the Denver Mint in 1930. These coins come with D mint marks and come with different grades. Circulated poor coins can be about one dollar and MS 67+ RD coins sold in 2020 for 33600 dollars and MS 67 RD sold in 2022 for $6,011.
extremely fine (XF45) brown coin is about three dollars uncirculated MS63 is about 27 dollars and MS65 grade is 70 dollars
Red and brown pennies in uncirculated conditions are about 18 dollars.
Fine red and brown 1930 D penny of MS66 grade is about 165 dollars.
red 1930 Denver penny at MS66 has a value of 675 dollars and MS67+ grade sold in action 2020 for 33100 dollars and now it can sell for about $35,000.
1930 S Wheat Penny Value
San Francisco Mint made about 24,286,000 wheat pennies in 1930 which is the lowest coins in circulation. These coins can easily find low grade so they are of higher value than other mint coins. MS67 grade coins are of 1300 dollars to 15000 dollars based on color and conditions.
MS67RD-graded 1930 S penny sold for $33,350 in 2004. MS67BN, Brown penny sold for 288 dollars in auction 2022, and red-brown, MS66+RB sold for 672 dollars
Red 1930 S pennies with MS67 grade are about $15,000 apiece since just 11 exist.
1930 Wheat Penny Features
Obverse of 1930 Wheat Penny
The front side of the coins comes with a photo of Abraham Lincoln facing right. There is a minting date and mint mark D or S also on this side of the coins. The Philadelphia minting coins do not have mint marks. The word LIBERTY is also written there and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST is also on this side. There is an initial designer VDB on the obverse side.
The reverse of the 1930 penny
The back side of the 1930 penny comes with 2 ear drum wheat curving on both edges. The ONE CENT denomination is also on this side of coins with the country name UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and motto in Latin phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM written close to the rim.
Some other features of the 1930 penny are
- These coins are round and smooth edge and have a diameter is 19.05 mm.
- They are made with metallic alloy about 95 percent copper and five percent zinc and tin
- Their weight is 3.11 grams and their thickness is one millimeter.
1930 Wheat Penny Errors
Die Break Error
At the time of manufacturing blank planchet was struck with the use of a coin die for design printing on the planchet. These die become damaged or crack due to high use and these cracks shift on coins. These errors can also seen through a magnifying glass and some can easily seen.
1930 Wheat Penny Error RPM
In some conditions coins’ mint marks are punched two times. If we closely see the 1930 D pennies Rrepunched mint mark can easily seen. The original D is behind the second D printing on the coin and is called 1930-D Wheat Penny D/D FS-501 RPM . The 1930 Denver penny AU53 grade coins have a value of about 150 dollars and the MS63 grade is 1000 dollars. MS65 grade 1930 D penny sold for 3000 dollars in auction.
the RPM error can also seen on the 1930 S pennies called 1930-D Wheat Penny D/D FS-502 RPM. In these coins S mark is printed on S mark. The 1930 S pennies with RPM are lower cost than the D mint mark. the 1930 S penny with AU53 grade is about 60 dollars and MS63 is 100 dollars. MS65 red coins 1930 S penny is $200.
Strike-Through Error
Strike through error is the result of grease or dust coming between the planceht and coin die and affecting the die to shift the complete design on the planchet. In these some parts of the design missing on coins. If on coin’s date is not easy to see its value is lower and color also affects value.
Is 1930 penny rare?
More than 220 million pennies were made in 1930, but still, they are easy to find. But some high-grade coins are not easy to find. Circulated coins with MS60 grade or higher are high value. MS65 grade or higher also high-value coins
Red 1930 pennies are rare coins but must needed to have more than 95 percent red area.
MS67 grade 1940 S pennies are about 1300 dollars for red and brown color.
How much is a 1930 wheat penny worth today?
Is a 1930 Wheat Back Penny high value?
The value of 1930 wheat back penny in high grade is about 1500 to 2000 dollars but about two years ago their value is about 30,000 dollars. These coins can be of high value in the 100th anniversary in 2030.
Read also
- How much is a 1927 wheat penny worth? Features, Types, Error & MInt Mark
- 1934 Penny Value, Features, Types, Error & Mint mark
- 1859 Indian Head Penny Coin Value, Feature, Types, & Error
- 1904 Indian Head Penny Value, features, Mint mark, Error
- 1952 D Penny Value: Are “D”, No Mint Mark Worth Money?
- 1911 Wheat Penny Value: (Errors, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark)