Even the novice numismatists know the Lincoln wheat pennies have significant historical and collectible value. The US Mint produced them in bulk but finding one in mint state is sometimes a real challenge.
Plus, some key dates come with varieties worth up to a few thousand dollars. That is also the case with the 1936 penny value. Most of these coins are worth about 50 cents, but some pieces can bring you a small fortune. Let’s see.
1936 Penny History
Three mints produced 1947 Penny, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver, with the total mintage of 379,387,569. The Philadelphia mint struck most of them, including 5,569 proof pennies.
1936 Penny |
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| Location | Year | Minted |
| Philadelphia | 1936 | 309,632,000 |
| Philadelphia | 1936 proof | 5,569 |
| San Francisco | 1936 S | 29,130,000 |
| Denver | 1936 D | 40,620,000 |
| Total | / | 379,387,569 |
This $0.01 coin is part of the 1909 to 1956 wheat penny collection. They are also known as Lincoln pennies since the obverse side shows the President’s bust.
1936 Penny |
|
| Face value | $0.01 (one cent) |
| Compound | 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc |
| Coin weight | 0.1097 ounces (3.11 grams) |
| Coin diameter | 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) |
| Coin thickness | 0.0768 inches (1.95 mm) |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Designer Victor David Brenner got a task to create a new coin celebrating Lincoln’s 200th birthday anniversary. In addition to the President’s image, you can see two engravings on the coin obverse side, the motto IN GOD WE TRUST and the word LIBERTY next to the mintage year.
1936 Penny value* |
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| Quality | 1936 | 1936 DDO | 1936 S | 1936 D |
| Good | $0.2 | $28 | $0.2 | $0.2 |
| Very good | $0.2 | $42 | $0.3 | $0.2 |
| Fine | $0.3 | $80 | $0.5 | $0.3 |
| Very fine | $0.6 | $135 | $0.6 | $0.6 |
| Extra fine | $1.7 | $227 | $1.1 | $1.1 |
| AU | $2.9 | $399 | $3.3 | $2.9 |
| MS 60 | $5.7 | $552 | $5.7 | $4.5 |
| MS 65 | $11 | $2,524 | $7.9 | $5.7 |
| PR 63 | $227 | / | / | / |
*by USA Coin book
Brenner’s reverse side design includes two wheat grains that surround ONE CENT denomination. E PLURIBUS UNUM, a Latin saying, is above while the inscription the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is below it.
1936 Penny Types
As I have already mentioned, all 1936 pennies exceed their face value, but you can quickly find them under $1. Those in the mint state are almost perfect, and they are many times more valuable than circulated coins.
1936 Penny value* |
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| Quality | ||||
| Year | Good | Fine | Extra fine | Mint state |
| 1936 | $0.15 | $0.25 | $1.5 | $2.6 |
| 1936 S | $0.15 | $0.4 | $1 | $3 |
| 1936 D | $0.15 | $0.3 | $1 | $2 |
*by JM Bullion
1936 Penny
If you have the 1936 penny with no mint mark, you can be sure that it comes from Philadelphia. This mint produced 309,632,000 coins, and most of them went into circulation.
1936 Penny value* |
|||
| Quality | 1936 | 1936 S | 1936 D |
| Very good | $0.1 | $0.2 | $0.1 |
| Fine | $0.2 | $0.2 | $0.2 |
| Very fine | $0.4 | $0.5 | $0.4 |
| Extra fine | $0.8 | $1.5 | / |
| AU | $2.5 | $3.5 | / |
| Uncirculated | $5.8 | $9.5 | $6.6 |
*by Numista
Worn out and damaged 1936 pennies cost between 10 and 40 cents, while you can get uncirculated pieces for several dollars. Of course, the choice of coin dealer and the detailed assessment of each penny determine the final price.
1936 proof Penny
The Philadelphia mint struck 5,569 proof pennies in 1936. However, the little-known fact is that there are two types of proof coins with this date that differ in texture and shine.
1936 Proof penny value* |
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| Quality | 1936 DDO T1 | 1936 Brilliant | 1936 Satin |
| PR 60 | $600 | $200 | $200 |
| PR 63 | $800 | $350 | $450 |
| PR 64 | $1,840 | $690 | $746 |
| PR 65 | $3,000 | $2,000 | $2,50 |
| PR 66 | $5,175 | $3,450 | $4,325 |
| PR 67 | / | $6,000 | $8,050 |
*by COIN HelpU
The first one, the so-called Satin proof penny, has only a partially mirrored surface, unlike the Type 2, brilliant proof coin. The mint produced both varieties with numismatists in mind, and they were not part of financial transactions.
1936 S Penny
If you look carefully, you will see the S letter on some 1936 Pennies right under the issue date. This mint mark shows that the coin comes from the San Francisco mint.
It produced 29,130,000 pennies or less than 10% of the total year mintage. Still, their value is close to those without the mint mark in most cases.
1936 Penny value* |
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| Year | Quality | |||
| Good | Fine | Extra fine | Uncirculated | |
| 1936 | $0.04 | $0.04 | $0.05 | $3 |
| 1936 S | $0.04 | $0.04 | $0.15 | $5 |
| 1936 D | $0.04 | $0.04 | $0.25 | $4 |
*by CoinStudy
The only exception is 1936 Pennies in the mint state that are typically more expensive. For instance, the 1936 S MS 67 Penny reached a record price of $5,060 in 2004.
1936 D Penny
Each of 40,620,000 pennies produced in the Denver mint has the letter D on the obverse side below the date. Most pieces are cheap, and you can buy even one in MS 65 grade for less than $7.
1936 Penny Rarities
Once the US Mint started producing coins in bulk, errors were inevitable. Some were mechanical, while the human factor was responsible for others. The 1936 Penny was no exception, so you could find these coins with multiple struck, die cracks, and off-center errors.
1936 Penny value* |
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| Quality | 1936 | 1936 S | 1936 D |
| Very fine | $0.5 | $0.5 | $0.5 |
| Extra fine | $1.5 | $1 | $1 |
| AU 50 | $2 | $2 | $2 |
| AU 58 | $3 | $3 | $3 |
| MS 60 | $5 | $5 | $4 |
| MS 63 | $10 | $7 | $7 |
| MS 64 | $25 | $22 | $25 |
| MS 65 | $39 | $33 | $41 |
| MS 66 | $44 | $138 | $69 |
| MS 67 | $99+ | $402 | $94+ |
*by COIN HelpU
The most valuable is the 1936 double die obverse Penny variety. Numismatists distinguish three types of 1936 DDO pennies, depending on the doubling intensity.
If you have the 1936 DDO Penny Type 1, you can see the double color clearly on the mintage year and engravings. Type 2 shows doubling in the same places but at a lower intensity.
If you have a circulated 1936 DDO Penny, you can effortlessly sell it for a minimum of $100. On the other hand, DDO pieces in the mint state are scarce, and their prices start at $500.
1936 Penny Grading
Any coin’s value depends on its state, and it will get a higher price when there are fewer scratches and damage on the surface. Most collectors, including beginners, can quickly sort 1936 pennies to nearly perfect and worn out. However, the difference between 1936 pennies in MS 65 and MS 67 grades is almost invisible to the naked eye.
Uncirculated – Although you can notice some color change, this penny is intact. There are no scratches, the rim is visibly separated from the coin field, and all design details are preserved.
1936 Penny value* |
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| Quality | 1936 | 1936 S | 1936 D |
| Good | $0.1 | $0.1 | $0.1 |
| Very good | $0.1 | $0.2 | $0.2 |
| Fine | $0.2 | $0.3 | $0.3 |
| Very fine | $0.3 | $0.4 | $0.4 |
| Extra fine | $0.6 | $1.1 | $0.7 |
| Uncirculated | $0.9 | $2 | $1.1 |
| BU | $1.25 | $4.5 | $4.5 |
*by Hobbizine
Extra fine – This penny was in circulation for a short time. Therefore, you can see some scratches on the surface, yet the main part of the coin is saved from time traces.
The letters on this coin are a bit flat on touch, and the surface has lost its original luster. Still, the fine lines on the President’s face show no damage, and you can see his bow and curls intact.
Fine – There is no nice shine on this penny, and you could imagine it going through many hands before coming to the collector. The letter edges have almost disappeared, and you can notice significant damage on the reverse side. Most wheat parts are hardly recognizable.
1936 Penny value* |
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| Quality | 1936 | 1936 S | 1936 D |
| Good | $0.3 | $0.3 | $0.3 |
| Very good | $0.3 | $0.3 | $0.3 |
| Fine | $0.3 | $0.3 | $0.3 |
| Very fine | $0.4 | $0.4 | $0.4 |
| Extra fine | $0.6 to 0.7 | $0.6 to $0.7 | $0.6 to $0.7 |
| AU | $0.6 to $1.1 | $0.8 to $1.9 | $0.6 to $1.1 |
| MS 60 | $1.5 to $1.9 | $2.2 to $2.5 | $1.5 to $1.9 |
| MS 61 | $1.9 to $2.2 | $2.4 to $2.8 | $1.9 to $2.2 |
| MS 62 | $2.2 to $2.5 | $2.4 to $2.8 | $2.2 to $2.5 |
| MS 63 | $2.4 to $2.8 | $2.7 to $3.2 | $2.4 to $2.8 |
| MS 64 | $2.7 to $3.2 | $4.1 to $4.9 | $2.7 to $3.2 |
| MS 65 | $4.1 to $4.9 | $6.8 to $8.1 | $5.4 to $6.5 |
*by Greysheet
Good – This 1936 Penny was in circulation for decades. You can see Lincoln’s bust outline, but it is impossible to detect any delicate details. The entire coin surface is smooth, and there is no clear distinction between the rim and the rest of the coin.
There is a good chance all engravings are hard to read, and the same goes for the issue date. You can buy a good 1936 Penny for about 15 cents since most numismatists prefer finer grades for their collections.
Summary
The 1936 Penny is a part of many collections, and you can quickly find it for under $1. Discovering a coin in the mint state is harder, particularly when looking for the 1936 DDO Penny. This variety is scarce and highly desirable among collectors.
