1952 Lincoln (Wheat) Penny

The penny, in one form or another, has been produced for well over 150 years. The Lincoln penny was minted for a long time and has emerged as one of the more popular editions of the coin. For collectors, the 1952 Lincoln penny is particularly sought after, but also becoming increasingly difficult to find as time moves forward.

On the obverse side of the 1952 Lincoln, you will notice that the image of Abraham Lincoln is situated in the center in stunning detail. Immediately to the left of Lincoln’s image is a raised inscription which reads the word “Liberty.” Opposite this inscription is one that marks the 1952 year of minting. Arching overtop of the obverse is the phrase “In God We Trust.”

The reverse side of the 1952 Lincoln penny doesn’t feature imagery in the center, but instead boasts two raised inscriptions. The first raised inscription reads “United States of America,” while the other marks the “One Cent” face value. Along both the left and the right edges of the coin are two single stalks of wheat, which explains why the coin is often referred to as the “Wheat Penny.” Finally, the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” is arching overtop of the reverse.

Grading the 1952 Lincoln Penny

For collectors, the condition a coin is in means everything. When it comes to the 1952 Lincoln penny, you will notice that the only coins worth collecting are the coins that are graded. As such, we will provide you with an outline of the different coin grades as well as what those grades mean for the appearance of a 1952 Lincoln penny.

Uncirculated: A coin that is determined to be Uncirculated is one that likely never spent any time on the open market, and has avoided the damage typically associated with circulated coins. The surfaces of these coins will appear to be flawless and look exactly like they did the day they were minted. Naturally, these are the most sought after pieces.

Extremely Fine: A coin that is graded as being Extremely Fine is one that might not have ever been circulated, but somewhere along the way will have incurred some damage. Though the damage on these coins may not be able to be seen with the naked eye, it still detracts from the grade.

Fine: A coin that is determined to be of Fine grade is one that likely spent a good bit of time in circulation. As a result of this, you will notice some consistent scratching and smoothing across both sides of the coin. Despite this wear, the raised lettering and imagery will be easily deciphered with the naked eye.

Good: A coin that receives a Good grade is one that was heavily circulated and also heavily damaged. These coins will have some of their lettering and imagery almost completely smoothed away due to the exchanging of hands over the years.

Pricing the 1952 Lincoln Penny

When it comes to determining a value for the 1952 Lincoln, this is something that depends upon a few different things. For one, there were up to 3 different types of Lincoln pennies produced most years, so the exact type you have will go a long way in determining its value. Beyond that, the grade of the coin will also play into the value. Below is a chart aimed at giving you a better idea as to what a 1952 Lincoln is worth given its condition and type.

Lincoln Pennies

DATE	GOOD	FINE	EXTREMELY FINE	UNCIRCULATED
1952 Lincoln Penny	N/A	N/A	$0.15	$0.35
1952 Lincoln Penny (D)	N/A	N/A	$0.15	$0.25
1952 Lincoln Penny (S)	N/A	N/A	$0.20	$0.35
Source: Red Book