How to grade your 1927 Lincoln penny? How much are these coins worth? Are 1927 pennies made up of silver? These are some of the queries that might have struck your mind after encountering a 1927 penny. Well, we’ve got your back!
We’ve got pretty solid information on 1927 pennies, their feature, grading system, and values. If these topics intrigue you, let’s begin!
What Is 1927 Penny?
1927 pennies are the $0.1 Lincoln Cents minted in 1927. Lincoln Cents were produced in 1909 to replace Indian Head cents and are still running to date. Some of the most valuable pennies in the Lincoln cent series are 1909-S VDB, 1909-S, 1914-D, 1917, 1943, and 1944-S.
The total mintage of the 1927 penny, including all three minting facilities, was 185,886,000. As of 2022, while circulated grades are common and affordable, MS grades 65 and above 1927 pennies are scarce. Therefore, those than remain demand pretty good value.
Features of 1927 Penny
Design:
The Lincoln penny design minted from 1909 to 2010, both the obverse and reverse sides, was designed by Victor David Brenner. These pennies in a certain mintage of 1909 and in 1918 and onwards feature a ‘VDB’ on Lincoln’s shoulder. In 2010, the reverse side was redesigned to feature a Union Shield.
The obverse side of the 1927 Lincoln Wheat penny features the portrait of America’s beloved Abraham Lincoln. On top of the coin is the motto ‘IN GOD WE TRUST’. You can see ‘LIBERTY’ on the left side of the portrait and ‘1927’ on the right side.
Two wheat ears enclose ‘ONE CENT’ and ‘UNITED STATES OF AMERICA’ on the reverse side of the coin. ‘E.PLURIBUS.UNUM’ is notable on the top.
Coin Specification:
Lincoln cents have different compositions depending upon the year they were minted. From 1909 to 1942, these coins were composed of 95% Copper and 5% Tin and Zinc. Moreover, 1927 pennies have a 19.05 mm diameter and 2.5 gm mass. The edges of these coins are plain.
Mint Marks:
Except for coins minted at the Philadelphia Mint, mint marks on Lincoln Cents are right below the date on the obverse side of the coin. These coins are marked ‘S’ if minted in the San Fransisco Mint and ‘D’ for the coins minted in the Denver Mint.
Which Mints Made 1927 Penny?
Philadelphia Mint:
144,440,000 1927 pennies were minted in the main mint in Philadelphia. This mintage number is in no way scarce in the Lincoln series. While good condition cents do not bring a good value, higher MS grades 1927 Lincoln Wheat pennies are worth hundreds on even thousands.
Denver Mint:
The Denver Mint minted 27,170,000 1927 pennies. While the mintage number is not very low, 1927-D is still considered a rare coin, especially in MS 66 and above.
San Fransisco Mint:
Likewise, the total mintage of 1927-S coins was 14,276,000. These coins, like 1927-D, are considered scarce. In fact, no 1927-S penny of MS66 and above have been graded by PCGS.
Reasons For Minting 1927 Penny
President Theodore Roosevelt wanted to honor his fellow deceased Republican, the beloved president of the US, Abraham Lincoln.
The Centennial of Lincoln was on February 1909, and on August 22, 1909, Lincoln cents was released. These coins became the first regularly circulating US coins that featured the portrait of an actual person.
Lincoln cents are still running to date, and 1927 pennies were just another mintage in the series that honored Abraham Lincoln.
What Factors Influence The Value of 1927 Penny?
Errors and Rarities:
Errors make your pennies much more valuable. Let’s discuss some of the errors you need to look for in your 1927 pennies. Firstly check for doubled die error in the lettering using a coin microscope.
In 2012, a 1927 doubled die obverse MS 64 RD penny was auctioned for $2,613, while the current worth of a 1927 RD MS64 penny is only $75. The difference is mind-blowing, isn’t it?
Another error you might want to look for is the re-punched ‘D’ mintmarks (RPM) on 1927-D pennies. As for rarities, 1927-D and 1927-S coins sells for slightly higher prices than 1927, given their lower mintage number.
Color:
The alloy planchets on which 1927 Lincoln Wheat cents are struck are subject to oxidation and color change. Along with the mint luster, the color is also subject to change and dull with time. The coppery red (RD) color first turns reddish-brown (RB), and then finally brown (BN).
In 1927 pennies, the worth of an RD coin is slightly greater than an RB coin of the same grade. BN coins are the most affordable of all three.
Cleanliness:
Let’s be honest here; who would prefer a dull and dirty coin to a clean and well-maintained one? Well, nobody! Therefore, make sure you follow proper coin cleaning and storage techniques to preserve not only the luster and texture of your coins but also their value.
Grading:
- Uncirculated (MS):
Uncirculated coins have mint luster and most probably have a coppery red color. That being said, MS coins in BN and RB color also exist.
MS graded coins are the most expensive ones. Remember that not all MS grades are visually perfect. In lower grades of MS60 to MS64, you might notice minor scratches and flaws here and there.
One full-proof way of determining if or not your Lincoln cent is mint grade is to rotate a light source on your coin.
The high points, such as Lincoln’s cheek, jaw, and beard on the obverse and wheat ears on the reverse, are most prone to wear and dullness upon the circulation.
If these areas have mint frost and are shining when the light source hits them, it means that the coins haven’t been circulated.
- About Uncirculated (AU):
As the name suggests, AU coins are circulated coins but are so well preserved that they can often pass as low-grade MS coins.
The distinctive feature of AU coins is that they bear only traces of mint frost on the surface and do not reflect continuous luster as uncirculated coins do.
The signs of wear, though minimal, can be witnessed around Lincoln’s cheek and jaw on the reverse and on the wheat stocks.
- Extremely Fine (XF):
Light wear only on the highest points of the 1927 penny is a distinctive feature of XF coins. Search for signs of wear on the hair above the ears, cheek, and jaw on Lincoln’s portrait on the obverse.
Ears of wheat on the reverse side show light signs of wear, but the lines are distinct, and the grains are clearly visible.
- Very Fine (VF):
If your 1927 Lincoln cent has light to moderate wear, it most probably falls under VF grade.
The features on Lincoln’s portrait and the texts on both sides will be sharp and bold. You might notice flat spots on Lincoln’s cheeks and jaw on the obverse. The finer details on the hair are still preserved.
On the reverse, lines on wheat ears are lightly worn, but the majority of the fine details are still preserved.
- Good (G):
Good graded 1927 pennies are heavily worn with little to no remaining fine details. The outlines of the portrait on the wheat ears and Lincoln’s portrait remain. While the wheat ears will have mostly flattened, a few grains must still be visible.
The texts on both sides will be faint yet still visible. You might notice the merging of the texts to the rim of the coin. Good coins are the most affordable and are valued mostly for the bullion value of the coin.
Value of 1927 Penny
The face value of the 1927 Lincoln penny si $0.1 or 1 Cent. Below are the tabulated values of 1927, 1927-D, and 1927-S pennies in uncirculated conditions.
| Lincoln Penny | Good (G-6) | Very Fine (VF-20) | Extremely (XF-40) | About Uncirculated (AU-50) |
| 1927 | $0.22 | $0.36 | $1.27 | $3.89 |
| 1927 D | $1.42 | $1.71 | $18 | $25 |
| 1927 S | $1.71 | $2.28 | $24 | $45 |
Likewise, find the worth of your MS-grade 1927 pennies in the table below. All these tabulated values are estimated using PCGS and online coin transaction sites as references and were prepared on April 22 2022.
| Lincoln Penny | MS60 | MS63 | MS64 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 | MS67+ | |
| 1927 | BN | N/A | $30 | $40 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RB | N/A | $35 | $60 | $75 | $150 | N/A | N/A | |
| RD | N/A | N/A | $75 | $175 | $500 | $1,400 | $4,000 | |
| 1927 D | BN | N/A | $110 | $140 | $300 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RB | N/A | $150 | $225 | $450 | $1,000 | N/A | N/A | |
| RD | N/A | $150 | $400 | $1,400 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1927 S | BN | $100 | $150 | $475 | $2,500 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| RB | N/A | $300 | $725 | $2,600 | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| RD | N/A | $525 | $1,100 | $9,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Summary
DO you have any more queries on 1927 pennies? Or, would you like our help in grading and determining the worth of your 1927 penny? While coin-certification agencies do this the best, we can still estimate a rough value together. We look forward to interacting with you!
