How Much Is 1942 Penny Worth?

Last Updated on August 4, 2022

The 1942 penny is a coin that many collectors love because of its high value. This penny is worth $0.01 to $44 in different conditions. You may also have a rare 1942 coin.

If you want to sell or buy a 1942 penny, you must know the correct worth. So here is everything you need to understand about this antique coin.

1942 P D S Lincoln Wheat Penny Cent PDS set Penny Seller Very Fine

How Much Is 1942 Penny Worth?

A 1942 penny has an average worth of $0.01 to $44. The exact value depends on the type and condition of your coin. This penny is worth $0.03 in good state and without a mint mark.

The value will for a 1942 penny without a mint mark in fine condition is $0.05. This figure will rise to $0.06 for the same penny in an extremely fine state.

1942 pennies also come with two different mint marks. These include the S mark and the D mark. Coins with the former marking are worth $0.05 to $0.09 in circulated condition.

The worth of a D coin falls in the range of $0.01 to $0.09 in circulated conditions. This penny’s minimum value is its face value which is $0.01.

How Much Is A 1942 D Penny Worth?

1942 D Lincoln Wheat Penny Average Circulated Good to Fine

A 1942 D penny has the face value of $0.01 in good condition. This figure will rise to $0.05 if your coin is in fine condition. The maximum value of a circulated 1942 D penny in an extremely fine state is $0.09.

The 1942 D penny mainly has a similar value to the coins without mint marks. This coin was produced at the Denver mint in high quantity. So this penny version is not relatively rare.

This coin is available in graded versions. The value of a graded 1942 D penny is $1.00 to $2.00. The exact value depends on the specific grading.

How Much Is A 1942 S Penny Worth?

A 1942 S penny is worth more than the D penny in specific conditions because of high-quality construction. This coin was designed at the San Francisco mint under excellent standards. 

The value of this coin is $0.05 in good condition. This figure will rise to $0.85 in fine state. The maximum value of a circulated 1942 S penny in an extremely fine condition is $1.25. 

You may also sell a graded version of this coin. The graded version of a 1942 S penny is worth $7 to $8, depending on the grading.

What Is The Value Of An Uncirculated 1942 Penny?

1942 D Lincoln Wheat Penny Average Circulated Good to Fine

The value of uncirculated 1942 pennies varies from $1.37 to $8.00. Uncirculated 1942 pennies are mainly those that are not used for financial transactions.

This means that they don’t contain any surface marks or dents, reducing the quality. A 1942 penny in uncirculated condition without a mint mark has a starting value of $1.37. 

The figure will rise to $1.61 and $2.00 if you have an uncirculated 1942 D penny. Meanwhile, the value of an uncirculated S penny is $5.81 for an ungraded coin. If the coin has been graded, the value will rise from $7.00 to $8.00.

What Is The Value Of A 1942 Proof Penny?

The 1942 penny also has a rare variety called the proof penny. Proof coins are mainly made for collectors because they are not used in circulation. The production of these pennies is also better than the standard coins.

A 1942 penny is mainly available in a proof version without a mint mark. This coin was produced at the Philadelphia mint and has a value of $44 per piece. The condition of the penny is called PR 63.

How Much Is The Worth Of A Graded 1942 Penny?

All pennies are available in specific gradings with a higher selling value. The 1942 coin mainly comes in MS 60 and MS 63 grades. A penny without a mint mark and with MS 60 grading is worth $1.00.

The same penny with MS 63 grading is worth $2.00. These values also apply to the 1942 D penny in the same respective grades. However, the worth differs significantly for an S penny.

A 1942 S penny is worth $7 in MS 60 grading. This figure will increase to $8 for the same coin in MS 63 grading.

How Much Is A 1942 Penny Worth With An Error?

The 1942 penny may come with errors such as the doubled die error. It may also have a mistake in the mint mark location. Such pennies have an average value of $100 to $200.

An extremely rare 1942 penny is one that was produced by the US mint for Ecuador. The production site struck the coin on brass material instead of the original copper and alloy material.

Jackie Palmer is a Houston-based coin journalist and fashion enthusiast. She joined Jewels Advisor’s content team after years of experience as a content strategist, managing blogs and social channels for local stores. Jackie mostly collects and studies US coins produced during the 20th century and over the years, published hundreds of articles for multiple coin publications.