1969 Penny Value Guide

The 1969 Penny Value

1969 pennies remain identical or nearly identical in value across all of the coin’s minting locations. 

Red coins are worth more than red-brown, which are worth more than brown.

Proof coins are worth more than circulation coins in most cases. 

The doubled-die-obverse variety for the 1969-S penny is worth far more than any other version.

An N/A for a value below indicates no publicly known examples of that version of the 1969 penny with that grade, or no value information (or not enough) exists for it yet.

Additionally, all values are conservative estimates based on research. Please note all values are subject to change due to the market or circumstances unaccounted for during research and publication. We always recommend doing further research or consulting with a professional.

Melt Value

The 1969 penny’s melt value is approximately negligible. The melt value will fluctuate with the market.

Circulation Strike Value Chart – Brown Coins (BN)

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1969 Brown Penny	1969-D Brown Penny	1969-S Brown Penny	1969-S Brown Doubled-Die Obverse Penny
Good – G BN	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	N/A
Very Good – VG BN	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	N/A
Fine – F BN	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	N/A
Very Fine – VF BN	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	N/A
Extra Fine – XF BN	$0.02	$0.02	$0.02	N/A
About Uncirculated – AU BN	$0.02-$0.05	$0.02-$0.02	$0.02-$0.05	$17,000-$21,000 (53-58)
Mint State – MS BN	$0.05-$3 (67)	$0.05-$3 (67)	$0.05-$3 (67)	$44,000 (63)

Circulation Strike Value Chart – Red-Brown Coins (RB)

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1969 Red-Brown Penny	1969-D Red-Brown Penny	1969-S Red-Brown Penny	1969-S Red-Brown Doubled-Die Obverse Penny
MS 60 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	$26,000
MS 61 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	$29,000
MS 62 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	$31,000
MS 63 RB	$1	$2	$2	$38,000
MS 64 RB	$2	$4	$3	$56,000
MS 65 RB	$3	$5	$5	N/A
MS 66 RB	$7	$11	$10	N/A
MS 67 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 68 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 69 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 70 RB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Circulation Strike Value Chart – Red Coins (RD)

	Coin Names And Coin Values
Grade Names	1969 Red Penny	1969-D Red Penny	1969-S Red Penny	1969-S Red Doubled-Die Obverse Penny
MS 60 RD	N/A	N/A	N/A	$30,000
MS 61 RD	N/A	N/A	N/A	$34,000
MS 62 RD	N/A	N/A	N/A	$37,000
MS 63 RD	$5	$6	$7	$45,000
MS 64 RD	$9	$9	$12	$67,000
MS 65 RD	$15	$17	$16	$197,000
MS 66 RD	$35	$37	$32	$632,000
MS 67 RD	$437	$352	$375	N/A
MS 68 RD	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 69 RD	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
MS 70 RD	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart – Red Coins (RD)

1969 Red Proof Penny
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 RD	$1
PR 61 RD	$1
PR 62 RD	$2
PR 63 RD	$4
PR 64 RD	$5
PR 65 RD	$8
PR 66 RD	$10
PR 67 RD	$13
PR 68 RD	$23
PR 69 RD	$36
PR 70 RD	N/A

Cameo (CA/CAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart – Red Coins (RD)

1969 Red Cameo Proof Penny
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 CA/CAM RD	N/A
PR 61 CA/CAM RD	N/A
PR 62 CA/CAM RD	N/A
PR 63 CA/CAM RD	N/A
PR 64 CA/CAM RD	$10
PR 65 CA/CAM RD	$14
PR 66 CA/CAM RD	$16
PR 67 CA/CAM RD	$21
PR 68 CA/CAM RD	$31
PR 69 CA/CAM RD	$67
PR 70 CA/CAM RD	N/A

Ultra/Deep Cameo (UC/DCAM) Proof Strike (PR) Value Chart – Red Coins

1969 Red Ultra/Deep Cameo Proof Penny
Grade Names	Coin Values
PR 60 UC/DCAM RD	$2
PR 61 UC/DCAM RD	$2
PR 62 UC/DCAM RD	$3
PR 63 UC/DCAM RD	$6
PR 64 UC/DCAM RD	$8
PR 65 UC/DCAM RD	$12
PR 66 UC/DCAM RD	$15
PR 67 UC/DCAM RD	$19
PR 68 UC/DCAM RD	$55
PR 69 UC/DCAM RD	$587
PR 70 UC/DCAM RD	N/A

What Makes A 1969 Penny Valuable?

The elements that make a 1969 penny valuable are its grading, the rarity of certain versions, strike type, special designations, and whether or not it’s an error coin or die variety.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

Grading plays an especially important role in a 1969 penny’s value. 

For regular brown circulation 1969 pennies, this won’t add much value until the late mint-state grades.

For regular red-brown circulation 1969 pennies, this starts adding value in the mid-mint-state grades.

Finally, for regular red circulation 1969 pennies, this also starts adding value in the mid-mint-state grades. 

All proof 1969 pennies are red. Regular proofs start seeing noticeable value increases in the mid-mint-state grades. The same is true for cameo and ultra/deep cameo proofs.

Rarity

The Mint minted 1969 pennies approximately 5,687,051,844 times across all of its versions. Please see the following list for the breakdown for each version:

• 1969: 1,136,910,000 minted in Philadelphia^1,2
• 1969-D: 4,002,832,200 minted in Denver^3,4
• 1969-S: 544,375,000 minted in San Francisco^5,6
• 1969-S Doubled-Die Obverse: 13-35 minted in San Francisco, but the true amount is unknown^7,8
• 1969-S Proof: 2,934,631 minted in San Francisco^9,10

The fact that the U.S. Mint produced 1969 pennies over 5.6 billion times does not contribute to their overall value.

Mint Marks

The U.S. Mint produced 1969 pennies in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.

All three minting locations are identical or nearly identical in value.

Strike Types

1969 pennies have 2 strike types: circulation and proof.^28,29

1969 proof pennies are worth more than 1969 brown and red-brown circulation pennies. However, 1969 red circulation pennies are worth more than all of those. This is due to their rarity, especially since they were intended for circulation.

Design Variations

This coin has no design variations.

Special Designations

The 1969 penny has three special designations: red, red-brown, and brown. All three refer to the coin’s color.

Red coins are worth the most, red-brown coins are worth the next most, and brown coins are worth the least.

Error Coins 

Errors tend to add value to all coins, including 1969 pennies. This is because errors make coins unique. Some even create interesting looks for coins.

With that in mind, here are a few error examples for 1969 pennies:³⁰

• Struck off-center errors
• Wrong-planchet errors
• Broadstrike errors
• Double-strike errors

Of the above 4 error types, wrong-planchet errors are the most valuable. These add hundreds of dollars in value to a 1969 penny. 

Double-strike and struck off-center errors follow this, adding up to approximately a hundred dollars in value.

Broadstrike errors add tens of dollars in value. 

Die Varieties

One major die variety comes from the 1969-S penny. Specifically, it’s a doubled-die-obverse (DDO) variety.

This die variety adds up from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in value to a 1969 penny.

The other major die variety comes from the 1969-D penny. Specifically, this is the “No FG” die variety, referring to the reverse designer’s missing initials from the coin’s reverse side. This die variety also adds up to hundreds of dollars in value to this penny. 

If you think you have either die variety, protect it and get it certified immediately.#

^{Sources: 7,8,13,17,18,22,23,31-32}

Composition

The 1969 penny is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. This composition does not add to the coin’s value. However, melt values do fluctuate with the market.

How Do You Know If You Have A Valuable 1969 Penny?

The best way to know if you have a valuable coin and to get that value out of it is to have it professionally certified.

However, you can look for many elements to get you started in determining what coin you have.

Let’s start with grading.

Grading

Generally, you want to look for mint-state 1969 pennies, no matter the version. 

At a bare minimum, a mint-state-grade coin must not show signs of wear. It can have a lacking strike or imperfections, though. The better the strike and the fewer imperfections it has, the higher mint-state grade it is.

Mint Marks

You’ll find mint marks on the obverse side of your 1969 penny. Specifically, they will be beneath the year.

Philadelphia minted coins with no mint mark.

Denver minted coins with a “D” mint mark.

San Francisco minted coins with an “S” mint mark.

Strike Types

Proof-strike 1969 pennies will have squared-off rims, a stronger strike, a reflective finish, and better-quality details.

Circulation-strike 1969 pennies can have a strong strike and better-quality details but will lack the squared-off rims and reflective finish.

Cameo and ultra/deep cameo proof pennies feature a contrast between their mirrored background fields and frosted design elements. 

Design Variations

This penny has no design variations.

Special Designations

Identifying a 1969 penny’s special designation comes down to looking at the color of your coin. 

Red coins retain nearly all of their original red color.

Red-brown coins retain most or some of that color.

Brown coins retain almost none of their original red color.

You can start identifying this special designation yourself, but you’ll need a professional to certify it.

Error Coins

Identifying an error coin comes down to knowing what to look for, having experience doing so, and having the right tools. As far as the latter goes, having a magnifying device such as a loupe is helpful. You can gain experience by looking at examples of these errors.

We’ll help you with what to look for.

First, there are struck off-center errors. Simply put, a struck off-center error occurs when the die striking the planchet (the plain metal disk that becomes the coin) isn’t centered when it strikes. 

This shifts the coin’s design in one direction or the other, potentially resulting in an incomplete design. It can also increase the size of the coin, even making it look as though two coins fused together. 

Double-strike errors can result in off-center strikes, but not always. Double-strike errors happen when the die strikes a circulation coin twice. Generally, dies strike circulation coins once, unlike proof coins, which they strike multiple times. 

The second strike can often create duplicate elements on the coin, such as lettering, profiles, and more. If the second strike is far enough off-center, this creates an off-center error in addition to the double-strike error. 

Broadstrike errors happen when the die strikes a coin without a collar. Collars limit coins to a specific size. Without one, the metal spreads, increasing the coin’s size. 

Wrong-planchet errors happen when a die strikes a planchet intended for a different coin. For example, a wrong-planchet error can happen with a coin if the die presses that design into a dime planchet. 

Look for a different color, size, partial design, or weight to help you determine if your 1969 penny is a wrong-planchet error.

Die Varieties

A “No FG” 1969 penny won’t have the reverse side designer’s initials on the back of your coin. Normally, you can see them to the bottom right of the Lincoln Memorial. However, in this case, they are completely missing.

It’s important to note the initials are completely missing, not just partially so. Some poorly struck 1969 pennies have initials with less crisp detail, but these don’t count for this die variety.

Also, this variety only occurs for 1969-D pennies. If you see it on another variety, it could be a forgery. Either way, get it checked out by a professional.

A doubled-die-obverse (DDO) 1969 penny shows very visible doubling in several areas of the coin, specifically the date and all words. It will kind of look like a 3D image if you’re looking at it without 3D glasses.

This die variety only occurs for 1969-S pennies.

^{Sources: 7,8,13,17,18,22,23,31-32}

Additional Information About The 1969 Penny

History

Its reverse design began in 1959, replacing the wheat penny reverse design.^28,29 

Lincoln pennies replaced Indian Head pennies in 1909. 

The Coin’s Obverse Side

A 1969 penny’s obverse side showcases President Abraham Lincoln’s profile facing right. His profile starts at the bottom rim and stretches almost to the top. 

Filling the space above his head are the words “In God We Trust.” To his left is the word “Liberty,” and to his right is the year 1969. 

Coins from Denver have a “D” mint mark below the year. Coins from San Francisco have an “S” mint mark below the year. Philadelphia won’t have a mint mark. 

^{Sources: 1-5,11-12}

The Coin’s Reverse Side

The reverse side of a 1969 penny features the Lincoln Memorial in the coin’s center. 

The initials of the designer, Frank Gasparro, sit just to the bottom right of the memorial. 

The words “E Pluribus Unum,” separated by dots, sit just above the memorial. They mean “Out of many, one,” the motto of the United States Of America (which curve above). 

The words “One Cent” curve along the bottom of the coin.

^{Sources: 1,11}

Sources

1969 Penny Value Guide Sources