By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
The Last Lincoln Wheat Cent
The 1958 Lincoln Cent and 1958-D Lincoln Wheat Cent were the last regular issues to feature Victor David Brenner’s original design. The Denver Mint, continuing a trend that started in 1950, produced considerably more one-cent coins than the Philadelphia Mint. Denver struck 800,953,300 1958-D Lincoln Wheat Cents – a considerable number, but not a series record. That honor would go to the 1944 Lincoln Wheat Cent.
In circulated grades, the 1958-D Lincoln Wheat Cent is a common coin, and this date routinely turns up in “unsearched rolls” and occasionally in change. Now, nearly 70 years since they were last struck, Wheat Cents do not circulate frequently. Contributing to their decline in circulation was the Mint’s change of coining composition in 1982, where the bronze cent was replaced with copper-plated zinc.
Single circulated coins are worth less than a dollar each, while certified examples in Mint State Red can sell for $20 or up in Gem grades with full red color. Recent eBay sales of bank-wrapped rolls indicate that collectors are willing to pay between $20 and $30 per 50-coin roll.
In the video below, CoinWeek Editor Charles Morgan opens an original roll of 1958-D Lincoln Cents marked by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco to see what he might find.
In the very upper end of the market, the 1958-D Lincoln Wheat Cent is considered one of the more common dates of the series. While collectors have paid more than $2,000 for top pop coins, sales of just one or two grades below top pop fall below the submission cost. An April 29, 2024, sale of a blazing red coin graded NGC MS66RD (#6588604-057) for $20.50 illustrates this fact.
Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
The PCGS population of MS67+RD coins has doubled since 2019, and the NGC MS68RD population has doubled from two to four since May 2023. PCGS has added two coins to its MS67+RD census since April 2024. CAC has certified 12 MS67 coins since November 2024.
Top Population: PCGS MS67+RD (38, 6/2025), NGC MS68RD (4, 6/2025), and CAC MS67RD (58:12, stickered:graded, 11/2024).
- NGC MS68RD #6352386-002: Heritage Auctions, May 4, 2023, Lot 3613 – $1,920. Thin intersecting vertical and diagonal scratches on the shoulder.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #48300274: “The Whispering Pines Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 16, 2025, Lot 4679 – $3,600. Deep diagonal cut in Lincoln’s hair. Small carbon spot at the vertex of Lincoln’s lip and the number 8.
- PCGS MS67+RD #50397082: Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2024, Lot 4473 – $2,040. Struck from worn dies. Small speck below B of LIBERTY. Also top loop of B is clogged. Bottom of E PL is weakly struck.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #60144567: “The Bender Collection,” GreatCollections, April 16, 2023, Lot 1249246 – View. Bender Collection on insert.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #38204017: GreatCollections, November 3, 2019, Lot 693198 – View; “The GL & SL Stonebarger Collection,” Heritage Auctions, June 20, 2021, Lot 7065 – $2,760. Blazing red. Hit on O of ONE.
- PCGS MS67+RD #39491822: Legend Rare Coin Auctions, October 8, 2020, Lot 54 – $1,527.50.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #37570792: Heritage Auctions, August 9, 2020, Lot 7066 – $1,560.
- PCGS MS67+RD #37838806: Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2020, Lot 3248 – $2,880.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #22027908: Heritage Auctions, December 6, 2019, Lot 3559 – $2,100.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #31717477: Heritage Auctions, December 4, 2015, Lot 3617 – $1,645; “The Jerald L. Martin Collection,” Heritage Auctions, January 10, 2019, Lot 4124 – $3,360. Jerald L. Martin Collection on insert. Heritage Auctions, June 7, 2019, Lot 3512 – $2,880.
- PCGS MS67+RD #37772069: Stack’s Bowers, May 23, 2019, Lot 190 – $1,440.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #81640779: Heritage Auctions, October 4, 2016, Lot 3498 – $2,232.50.
- PCGS MS67+RD CAC #25276439: Heritage Auctions, September 5, 2014, Lot 3741 – $2,585.
- PCGS MS67+RD #25365286: Heritage Auctions, January 8, 2014, Lot 3594 – $1,938.75; GreatCollections, February 9, 2020, Lot 799679 – View.
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Coin Specifications
| Country: | United States of America |
| Year Of Issue: | 1958 |
| Denomination: | One Cent (USD) |
| Mint Mark: | D (Denver) |
| Mintage: | 800,953,300 |
| Alloy: | 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc |
| Weight: | 3.11 g |
| Diameter: | 19.00 mm |
| Edge: | Plain |
| OBV Designer: | Victor David Brenner |
| REV Designer: | Victor David Brenner |
| Quality: | Business Strike |
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why doesn’t anyone know about this coin I found???
I found a beat up 1958D Lincoln Memorial coin just like the 59’s. But I can’t find anyone who knows anything about my coin.
If you have a1958D with out the rev wheat ears it’s a very very valuable coin,one of a kind . get it certified asap or I’ll jus buy it frOm you,lol
I have 1958 DDO 1958 all so1958 no mint
@Jerrald Edwin Wood I can’t speak for the DDO, but as the article notes 1958 cents are _very_ common. Unless your coin is uncirculated or proof, it doesn’t carry much if any premium.
FWIW #1: The lack of a mint mark isn’t an error. Except for a special issue in 2017, cents struck in Philadelphia don’t carry a mint mark, even post-1980.
FWIW #2: I think you mean “also” rather than “all so”. Not the same thing, LOL.
I have a 1958 D mark wheat pennies and it red