San Francisco issue · 1944 bronze cent

1944-S Wheat Penny Value, Errors & Mint Mark Guide

Most 1944-S Wheat Pennies are common bronze cents and circulated examples are generally inexpensive. Value increases in Mint State, especially when original Red color remains. The extremely rare 1944-S steel cent is a separate off-metal error.

See value guide Check your coin

Reviewed by the Coins Identification editorial team · Prices last reviewed September 2026

Normal bronze 1944-S cent with the S mint mark below the date.

Year1944

MintSan Francisco

Mint markS

DenominationOne cent

SeriesLincoln Wheat Cent

DesignerVictor David Brenner

Composition95% copper, 5% tin and zinc

Weight3.11 g

Diameter19 mm

EdgePlain

Mintage282,760,000

Magnet responseNonmagnetic

Start with the value answer

How Much Is a 1944-S Wheat Penny Worth?

The regular bronze San Francisco cent is the correct starting point.

Most circulated 1944-S Wheat Pennies are common bronze cents and usually bring a modest amount. Certified Mint State coins are worth more because they retain sharper detail and fewer marks. Within the same numerical grade, BN, RB and RD color designations can change demand and price substantially. Original surfaces, natural luster and a strong strike matter as much as a bright appearance. Cleaning, polishing, corrosion or artificial color can reduce confidence and value.

A rare 1944-S steel cent must stay separate from the normal bronze issue. The regular coin weighs about 3.11 g and is nonmagnetic; a possible steel piece is near 2.70 g and magnetic. Those checks only screen the coin. Use the tables as reference points for regular bronze examples and compare the exact mint, grade, color and certification before relying on a price.

Price context: an auction record describes one certified coin. It is not the value of every 1944-S cent at that grade.

Fast comparison

1944-S Wheat Penny Value at a Glance

Reference context is separated by grade and color; a single number would be misleading.

Condition	Grade	Color	Value context
Good	G4	BN	Circulated; grade and color drive the value
Fine	F12	BN	Circulated; grade and color drive the value
Very Fine	VF20	BN	Circulated; grade and color drive the value
Extremely Fine	XF40	BN	Circulated; grade and color drive the value
About Uncirculated	AU50	BN	Circulated; grade and color drive the value
Mint State	MS63	BN / RB / RD	Certified; compare the exact color row
Choice	MS64	BN / RB / RD	Certified; compare the exact color row
Gem	MS65	BN / RB / RD	Certified; compare the exact color row
High Grade	MS66	BN / RB / RD	Certified; compare the exact color row
Superb	MS67	where applicable	Certified; compare recent sales

Prices last reviewed: September 2026. Use the exact mint, grade and color in the PCGS Price Guide and compare NGC or recent certified sales before using a value.

Detailed grade view

1944-S Wheat Penny Value Chart

Regular bronze values must be matched to the exact grade and BN/RB/RD color.

This page does not repeat a partial numeric snapshot for every grade/color combination. Use the linked PCGS Price Guide for the current row, then compare an equivalent certified sale. Missing guide rows are not zero values and should not be filled from a neighboring grade.

1944-S Wheat Penny grades from circulated to mint state — Condition and original color separate ordinary examples from premium coins.

Copper color matters

How Color Affects 1944-S Wheat Penny Value

BN, RB and RD are separate from numerical grade.

BN means Brown, RB means Red-Brown and RD means Red. The designation describes original copper color, while the numerical grade describes wear and preservation. Original Red color can increase collector demand, particularly at high Mint State grades. A bright coin is not automatically RD: cleaning, polishing and recoloring can remove the original surface or create an artificial appearance.

1944-S Wheat Penny BN RB and RD comparison — Color designation is separate from numerical grade.

What separates coins

What Makes a 1944-S Wheat Penny Valuable?

Grade, original BN, RB or RD color, original surface, strike quality, eye appeal, a verified variety, a legitimate mint error and third-party certification all influence value. A sharply struck original-red coin with clean fields can bring stronger demand than a brown coin with the same date and grade. Certification helps buyers compare the exact coin rather than a photograph or a seller's description.

Record the issue first, then describe wear and color without cleaning it. Compare only with a 1944-S carrying the same grade, color and attribution. Do not call machine doubling, die deterioration or damage a doubled die without an authoritative variety reference.

Factors that make a 1944-S Wheat Penny valuable — Grade, color, surface, strike, variety, errors and certification all matter.

Small detail, useful clue

Where Is the S Mint Mark on a 1944 Wheat Penny?

The S mint mark appears below the date and identifies a cent struck at the San Francisco Mint. Compare the complete letter with a certified reference. A weak or unclear mark can result from strike weakness, die fill or wear; an apparent second letter needs documented diagnostics before it is called a variety.

S mint mark below the date on a 1944 Wheat Penny — The S sits directly below 1944 and identifies San Francisco.

Production context

How Many 1944-S Wheat Pennies Were Made?

282,760,000 regular bronze cents.

San Francisco struck 282,760,000 1944-S Wheat Pennies. That is the original mintage, not a surviving population. Many coins were circulated, lost or damaged, while high-grade original-red examples are a much smaller subset. The figure also does not represent the rare steel off-metal error.

1944-S Wheat Penny production at the San Francisco Mint — Original mintage records describe production, not the number of coins surviving today.

Normal composition

Is a 1944-S Wheat Penny Made of Copper?

Yes. A normal 1944-S Wheat Penny is a copper-based bronze cent. It contains 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighs about 3.11 g, measures about 19 mm and is nonmagnetic. Copper is normal for 1944-S; steel was the regular composition in 1943.

1944-S bronze penny compared with a steel cent — Weight and magnet response are screening tests, not authentication.

Legitimate categories

1944-S Wheat Penny Errors and Varieties

Use recognized attributions only.

Possible mint-created

Off-center strike
Clipped planchet
Die crack
Wrong planchet or steel off-metal cent
Documented variety attribution

Usually post-mint

Scratches and dents
Corrosion, plating or discoloration
Cleaning and polishing
Machine doubling without recognized attribution

Examples of 1944-S Wheat Penny mint-made errors — Off-center strikes, clips and die cracks need diagnostics before attribution.

Read the surface correctly

Mint Error or Post-Mint Damage?

A genuine mint error changes the planchet or strike during production. Off-center strikes, clips, die cracks, verified die varieties and wrong-planchet pieces can be legitimate. Scratches, dents, corrosion, cleaning, polishing, plating and chemical discoloration happen after the coin leaves the Mint. Compare photographs with recognized references before assigning a rare attribution.

1944-S Wheat Penny mint error compared with post-mint damage — Attribution requires diagnostics, not an unusual appearance alone.

Rare secondary branch

1944-S Steel Wheat Penny

A normal 1944-S is bronze, not steel.

The normal 1944-S is a 3.11 g nonmagnetic bronze cent. A genuine 1944-S steel cent is an extremely rare wrong-planchet error, near 2.70 g and magnetic. The two screening clues justify specialist review but do not authenticate a coin. PCGS lists two known examples; do not apply a steel auction result to an ordinary bronze S cent.

See the 1944 Steel Penny guide for rarity, authentication and verified auction information.

1944-S steel off-metal cent compared with a bronze Wheat Penny — Steel and bronze differ in weight and magnet response, but screening is not authentication.

Practical checks

How to Identify a 1944-S Wheat Penny

Use several clues together.

DATE1944

MINT MARKS below date

MINTSan Francisco

REVERSETwo wheat ears

WEIGHT3.11 g

DIAMETER19 mm

MAGNETNonmagnetic

COMPOSITIONBronze, 95% copper

“Wheat back” is an informal name for the Lincoln Wheat Cent reverse with two wheat ears. Confirm the date, S mint mark, bronze weight and nonmagnetic response together.

How to identify a 1944-S Wheat Penny — 1944 date, S mint mark, wheat reverse, 3.11 g and nonmagnetic bronze.

Reference specifications

1944-S Wheat Penny Specifications

CountryUnited States

Year1944

MintSan Francisco

Mint markS

DenominationOne Cent

SeriesLincoln Wheat Cent

DesignerVictor David Brenner

Composition95% copper, 5% tin and zinc

Weight3.11 g

Diameter19 mm

EdgePlain

Mintage282,760,000

Magnet responseNonmagnetic

ReverseTwo wheat ears

1944-S Wheat Penny weight and diameter checks — Use a scale and calipers as practical screening tools for the specifications.

Individual results

1944-S Wheat Penny Auction Records

Regular bronze issue only.

Grade	Color	Certification	Auction house	Date	Realized price
MS67+	RD	PCGS	Heritage Auctions	Sep 7, 2016	$3,290
Representative sales	BN / RB / RD	PCGS or NGC	Named auction lot	Lot-specific	Source record required

Auction records represent individual coins and should not be treated as the value of every 1944-S Wheat Penny at that grade. High-grade RD results are a separate market.

Certified 1944-S Wheat Penny prepared for an auction record — Auction results belong to the exact certified coin and lot shown.

Protect the surface

Don't Clean a 1944-S Wheat Penny

Cleaning can remove original surface, create hairlines, alter color and reduce collector value. Do not polish, scrub or chemically treat the coin. Handle it by the edge and preserve the evidence for examination.

How to preserve a 1944-S Wheat Penny without cleaning — Archival paper, cotton gloves and an inert capsule help preserve the original surface.

Questions collectors ask

1944-S Wheat Penny FAQ

How much is a 1944-S Wheat Penny worth?

Most circulated bronze examples are modestly priced. Mint State value depends on numerical grade, BN, RB or RD color, surface quality and certification.

Where is the S mint mark on a 1944-S Wheat Penny?

The S appears directly below the date and identifies the San Francisco Mint. Compare a weak or unclear mark with a certified reference before calling a variety.

How many 1944-S Wheat Pennies were made?

San Francisco struck 282,760,000 regular bronze cents. Mintage is not the number surviving today.

Is a 1944-S Wheat Penny rare?

The regular bronze issue is common in circulated grades. High-grade original-red coins and the separate steel error are different markets.

What are the normal weight, composition and magnet response?

A normal coin is bronze with 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighs about 3.11 g, measures about 19 mm and is nonmagnetic.

What makes a 1944-S Wheat Penny valuable?

Grade, original BN/RB/RD color, original surface, strike quality, eye appeal, recognized varieties, errors and certification all influence value.

What errors should I look for, and should I clean the coin?

Look for documented off-center strikes, clips, die cracks or wrong-planchet errors. Do not clean, polish or chemically treat the coin; apparent doubling, plating and discoloration may be damage.