1957 Wheat Penny Coin Value: Errors List, “D” & No Mint Mark Worth
1957 Wheat Penny value ranges from $0.01 face value to $29,375. That record price was paid for a PR68 Deep Cameo proof graded 68, sold through Legend Rare Coin Auctions in September 2021 — one of only an estimated 35–40 known examples with full Deep Cameo surfaces. If you’re curious what yours might be worth, upload a photo of your coin below and get a quick value range. Then scroll down to check real recent eBay sales and see what buyers are actually paying right now.
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1957 Wheat Penny Value By Variety
Most 1957 wheat pennies are worth pocket change, but the right variety in the right grade can bring serious money — up to nearly $30,000 for a DCAM proof. If you already know your coin’s grade, jump straight to the Value Guides section below for exact pricing.
| Type | Good(G4-6) | Fine(F12-15) | AU(AU50-58) | MS(MS60-70) | PR(PR60-70) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶1957 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny Value (RD) | $0.15 - $0.20 | $0.35 - $0.40 | $1 | $2 - $960 | — |
| ▶1957 D Wheat Penny Value (RD) | $0.15 - $0.20 | $0.35 - $0.40 | $1 | $2 - $360 | — |
| ▶1957 Proof Wheat Penny Value | — | — | — | — | $9 - $100 |
| ▶1957 CAM Wheat Penny Value | — | — | — | — | $10 - $730 |
| ▶1957 DCAM Wheat Penny Value | — | — | — | — | $27 - $29,900 |
Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Pennies Worth Money (1959 – Present)
Top 10 Most Valuable 1957 Wheat Penny Worth Money
2006 - PresentMost Valuable 1957 Wheat Penny Chart
That $29,375 sale for a 1957 DCAM proof? It happened at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in 2021, and it proves that even a “common year” penny can turn into a five-figure coin when the surfaces are absolutely perfect. Everything had to go right — full Deep Cameo contrast, no spots, no haze, and a grade of PR68.
Look at the rest of the list, though. The 1957-D MS67 sits around $6,600 — a top-pop coin without the five-figure price tag. Then you’ve got several varieties clustered between $240 and $2,990 that give you real options for building out a nice set across different mints and grades.
Also Read: Lincoln Wheat Penny Value (1909-1958)
History of the 1957 Wheat Penny
The Lincoln cent series launched in 1909 to mark Abraham Lincoln’s 100th birthday. The design almost never happened the way it did — sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens originally got the commission but died before finishing. President Theodore Roosevelt then tapped Victor David Brenner, who’d made a Lincoln plaque that caught his eye.
It was the first widely circulated U.S. coin to feature a real president instead of an allegorical Liberty figure. Brenner’s initials “VDB” appeared prominently on the first 1909 reverses, but public backlash got them yanked within days. They came back in 1918, tiny, on Lincoln’s shoulder.
By 1957, the wheat penny had been around nearly 50 years. It still carried its original 95% copper composition — unchanged since 1944, after the wartime detour to zinc-coated steel in 1943.
Here’s a fun detail: 1957 fell during Eisenhower’s second term, right in the middle of a coin collecting craze. The 1955 Doubled Die cent and the scarce 1950-D Jefferson Nickel had turned millions of everyday Americans into pocket-change hunters. Proof set production hit an all-time high that year.
The 1957 penny is the second-to-last wheat cent ever made. Frank Gasparro’s Lincoln Memorial design replaced it in 1959 for Lincoln’s 150th birthday. That makes every 1957 one of the final coins in a beloved 49-year run.
Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Pennies Worth Money (1787 – Present)
Is Your 1957 Wheat Penny Rare?
1957 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny (RD)
1957-D Wheat Penny (RD)
1957 Proof Wheat Penny (RD)
1957 CAM Wheat Penny
1957 DCAM Wheat Penny
Here’s what trips people up: the 1957-D had the biggest mintage — over a billion coins — yet a top-grade MS67+ Red example is genuinely rare. Only 18 exist in that grade. Meanwhile, the DCAM proof had the smallest surviving population at roughly 35–40 coins total, making it a completely different kind of rare. You can dig into the full Wheat Penny Rarity Ranking through our Coin Value Checker APP for detailed data across the entire series.
Key Features of the 1957 Wheat Penny
Knowing what to look for on your coin is the first step to figuring out if it’s worth anything. Here’s a quick breakdown of the 1957 wheat penny’s design details.
The Obverse of the 1957 Wheat Penny
Lincoln’s right-facing portrait dominates the obverse, filling nearly 95% of the coin’s face. IN GOD WE TRUST runs across the top. LIBERTY sits to the left behind Lincoln’s shoulder, and the date 1957 appears on the right.
Now look at the base of Lincoln’s shoulder — you’ll spot the tiny initials “VDB” for designer Victor David Brenner. Those initials caused a public uproar in 1909, got removed within days, then quietly returned in 1918 at this much smaller size.
The Reverse of the 1957 Wheat Penny
Flip it over and you’ll see two wheat ears framing the coin — that’s where the “wheat penny” nickname comes from. E PLURIBUS UNUM arcs along the top, ONE CENT sits in the center, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA runs below it.
Pay close attention to the tips of each wheat stalk. On high-grade coins, those tiny details stay crisp and fully struck. That’s one of the first things graders check.
Other Features of the 1957 Wheat Penny
The 1957 wheat penny measures 19.05 millimeters across and weighs 3.11 grams. It has a plain (smooth) edge. The metal composition is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc — that’s what gives uncirculated examples their warm reddish glow.
Two mints struck these coins: Philadelphia (no mint mark) and Denver (D mint mark below the date). No San Francisco pennies were made this year. Philadelphia produced 282,540,000 pieces, while Denver handled the much larger share.
Also Read: 100 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies Worth Money (1909 to 1958)
1957 Wheat Penny Mintage & Survival Data
1957 Wheat Penny Mintage & Survival Chart
Survival Distribution
Type Mintage Survival Survival Rate No Mint 282,540,000 5,000 0.0018% D 1,051,342,000 14,000 0.0013% Proof 1,247,952 500,000 40.0656% CAM 1,247,952 165,000 13.2217% DCAM 1,247,952 7,000 0.5609%
The proof mintage of 1,247,952 was the highest single-year proof output in the entire wheat penny series. It nearly doubled the 1956 figure. That collecting boom — kicked off by the 1955 Doubled Die and the scarce 1950-D nickel — drove unprecedented demand for proof sets.
I think the strongest upside sits with premium proof grades, especially DCAM examples. With roughly a 0.56% survival rate, those coins have real scarcity behind them — not just hype.
Also Read: 100 Most Valuable Indian Head Penny Coins Worth Money (1859 – 1909)
1957 Wheat Penny Grading Guide
Grading measures a coin’s condition on the Sheldon scale of 1 to 70. Higher numbers mean better preservation. On a 1957 wheat penny, focus on Lincoln’s hair above the forehead, his cheekbone, and the shoulder. Those high points wear first and should show full detail and luster in uncirculated grades.
On the reverse, examine the wheat stalks tip to base. In top-grade coins, every individual grain in the wheat head should be sharp and distinct — not flattened or mushy.
Here’s a practical tip: always check 1957-D examples for carbon spotting. Those tiny dark specks form from moisture trapped in original mint bags. They kill eye appeal and hurt value fast. The coins you want are spot-free, fully struck, and blazing red.
For precise grading and current market values, use our Coin Value Checker APP to identify your coin’s grade and get instant valuations.
1957 Wheat Penny Value Guides
1957 Wheat Penny Categories:
- 1957 (No Mint Mark) — Philadelphia Mint
- 1957-D — Denver Mint
- 1957 Proof — Standard Proof Coins
- 1957 CAM (Cameo) — Enhanced Proof Coins
- 1957 DCAM (Deep Cameo) — Premium Proof Coins
Over 1.3 billion 1957 wheat pennies were struck across two mints, so circulation strikes are cheap and easy to find. The real money is in the proofs. Deep Cameo (DCAM) specimens — where Lincoln’s portrait looks heavily frosted white against perfectly mirror-black fields — have sold for up to $32,500 for the finest known.
Also Read: Value Of Old Pennies By Year (1959-Present)
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1957 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny Value
Only six coins have ever hit MS67+ Red for the 1957 Philadelphia issue. Six. Each one is valued around $20,500. That’s a huge number for a coin with a mintage of 282,540,000 — but it shows you how brutal the grading barrier is at the top.
In worn condition, you’re looking at 5–25 cents. No mint mark below the date tells you it’s a Philly coin. Values stay pretty flat through MS-66 Red — roughly $20–$28 — then there’s a massive cliff. MS67 Red jumps to around $1,650 because so few coins survived without bag marks, carbon spots, or color loss.
1957 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny (RD) Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
When pristine examples surface, they tend to set records.
Date Platform Price Grade 11/25 SB $192 67 06/25 SB $432 67 06/25 SB $336 67 06/25 SB $264 67 04/25 SB $660 67 01/25 HA $20,400 67 11/24 SB $900 67 09/24 SB $145 67 05/24 HA $49 66 04/23 HA $1,110 67
Market activity has been gradually picking up despite the high survival rate in lower grades.
Market Activity:1957 No Mint Mark Wheat Penny
Market activity score: 61/100 as of Sep 2026 — up 10 points from Jun 2026. 12-month peak: 73 (Dec 2025).
1957-D Wheat Penny Value
Can you cherrypick a $6,500 coin from a pile of pennies worth a nickel each? That’s the dream with the 1957-D. Denver struck 1,051,342,000 of these — the second time Denver crossed the billion-coin mark for wheat pennies. The “D” below the date is your identifier.
Here’s the problem: Denver’s high-speed production left nearly every coin with bag marks. Tiny nicks from coins banging around in canvas shipping bags. Thousands have been submitted to PCGS chasing MS67 Red, and that grade’s population has grown — but MS67+ Red remains a wall. Only 18 confirmed examples exist at that level, each worth around $6,500. One sold for $2,640 at Stack’s Bowers in August 2018. Below that, prices sit flat at $22–$28 through MS-66 Red, then jump to $310–$350 at MS-67 Red.
Watch for lamination errors on these, especially in Lincoln’s hair area. Incomplete mixing of the copper and tin-zinc alloy during planchet prep caused them.
1957-D Wheat Penny (RD) Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
Exceptional specimens from this billion-coin mintage still turn heads when they break through traditional grade barriers.
Date Platform Price Grade 02/26 SB $145 67 01/25 HA $6,600 67 08/24 SB $660 67 05/24 HA $34 66 05/24 HA $660 67 07/23 HA $139 67 04/23 HA $312 67 04/23 HA $186 67 01/23 DL $155 67 01/23 DL $150 67
Registry set builders keep pushing demand even with huge original supplies sitting in old bank hoards.
Market Activity: 1957-D Wheat Penny
Market activity score: 67/100 as of Sep 2026 — up 14 points from Jun 2026. 12-month peak: 72 (Aug 2026).
1957 Proof Wheat Penny Value
A common misconception: people assume all 1957 proofs have that classic frosted-portrait look. They don’t. The Mint over-polished the dies that year, which stripped away much of the contrast between the mirror fields and raised devices. That’s why standard 1957 proofs look “flat” compared to later issues.
Philadelphia struck 1,247,952 proof coins — the first time proof mintage topped one million in the wheat penny series. Nearly double the 1956 output. Standard proofs are affordable: PR60–PR62 Red examples go for $10–$12. A PR65 Red sold for $2,990 at Heritage Auctions in 2006. These sets were produced in such quantity that you could still buy them near face value for years afterward. That makes 1957 the last year you could pick up proof wheat pennies on the cheap from original mint sets.
1957 Proof Wheat Penny (RD) Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
Heritage Auctions has been the main venue where these proofs have shown their real value.
Date Platform Price Grade 10/24 SB $105 69 06/23 HA $91 69 05/23 HA $104 69 04/23 DL $81 69 02/23 DL $86 68 02/23 HA $159 69 02/23 DL $100 69 12/22 DL $35 66 12/22 DL $49 67 12/22 SB $240 68
Collectors have been cracking open original proof sets once they realized what the better coins inside are actually worth.
Market Activity: 1957 Proof Wheat Penny
Market activity score: 53/100 as of Sep 2026 — unchanged since Jun 2026. 12-month peak: 56 (Aug 2026).
1957 CAM Wheat Penny Value
What’s the difference between a $12 proof and a $800 proof from the same year? One word: Cameo. CAM proofs show Lincoln’s portrait and lettering frosted white against mirror-black fields — like a carved cameo brooch. Only an estimated 400–450 examples exist across all grades.
Nobody at the Mint was trying to make these. In the 1950s, cameo contrast was accidental — the result of dies that weren’t fully polished, leaving a subtle frost on the raised design elements while the flat fields went mirror-bright. Values run from about $20 to $800, and they command solid premiums over standard proofs at every grade level. Most have already been pulled from original proof sets and slabbed, since collectors figured out the price difference years ago.
1957 CAM Wheat Penny (RD) Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
These sit in a sweet spot that I think is underappreciated — scarce enough to matter, affordable enough to actually buy.
Date Platform Price Grade 05/26 HA $5,368 68 04/24 SB $120 68 08/23 HA $84 67 02/23 HA $99 67 01/23 DL $208 67 12/22 HA $101 67 12/22 HA $312 68 11/22 HA $252 68 08/22 DL $525 68 07/22 DL $185 67
Demand stays steady from collectors who want something better than a standard proof without paying DCAM prices.
Market Activity: 1957 CAM Wheat Penny
Market activity score: 66/100 as of Sep 2026 — up 29 points from Jun 2026. 12-month peak: 74 (Aug 2026).
1957 DCAM Wheat Penny Value
$200 to $32,500. That’s the range for a 1957 DCAM wheat penny, and it tells you everything about how rare these are. DCAM — Deep Cameo — demands even heavier frost than regular Cameo. Lincoln’s portrait has to look like it’s carved in ice against perfectly mirror-black fields. No gradation, no compromise.
Only an estimated 35–40 examples exist across all grades. The record holder is a PR68 Red DCAM that sold for $29,375 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in 2021. PCGS has never graded any 1957 Deep Cameo higher than PR69. Getting this kind of contrast with 1950s minting technology was nearly impossible — which is exactly why the premium over a standard proof can hit 100 times.
1957 DCAM Wheat Penny (RD) Price/Grade Chart
Price by 1-70 Grade (Latest Auction Records Included)
Auction results tell the story — collectors pay enormous premiums for original mint luster and full Deep Cameo contrast.
Date Platform Price Grade 09/24 HA $1,680 67 08/24 HA $1,440 67 12/22 SB $1,680 68 04/22 SB $2,040 67 09/21 LM $29,375 68 08/21 HA $252 64 02/21 HA $2,520 68 10/20 HA $2,040 67 10/20 HA $2,160 67 01/18 HA $7,200 68
Meanwhile, the 1957 DCAM Wheat Penny shows volatile market trends with a notable surge in March 2025, followed by stabilization in recent months.
Market Activity: 1957 DCAM Wheat Penny
Market activity score: 40/100 as of Sep 2026 — unchanged since Jun 2026. 12-month peak: 43 (Jul 2026).
Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Pennies Worth Money (1959 – Present)
Rare 1957 Wheat Penny Error List
The Mint considers errors defects. Collectors consider them treasure. Some 1957 wheat penny errors add hundreds or thousands of dollars to a coin’s value. Here are the ones worth looking for.
1. 1957-D Triple Re-Punched Mint Mark (RPM) Error
This is one of the most collectible varieties on 1957-D wheat pennies. Back in the 1950s, mint marks were punched into dies by hand. If the first punch wasn’t deep enough or landed slightly off, the worker punched it again. Sometimes a third time. Each punch at a slightly different angle creates a “shadow” effect — overlapping D’s you can see under magnification.
On the best triple RPM examples, you can spot the third impression filled in inside the other two overlapping D’s. Standard RPM varieties — where you see a secondary D offset to the north, south, east, or west — run $10–$75 depending on rarity and condition. The rare triple RPM has brought as much as $1,000 at auction.
2. 1957 Wheat Penny BIE Die-Break Error
This is a fun one, and great for beginners. A crack develops in the die between the “B” and “E” of LIBERTY, leaving a raised vertical line that looks like an extra letter. The word appears to read “BIIE” or “B I E.” These were more common in 1957 than most other years because cranking out over a billion Denver coins wore dies down fast.
Most BIE errors sell for $5–$15 depending on how dramatic the crack is. You can often find them in dealer bins at coin shows without paying a big premium. Good starter error coin.
3. 1957 Wheat Penny On A Dime Planchet (Wrong Planchet Error)
This one’s a showstopper. The 1957 penny design got struck on a blank intended for a Roosevelt dime. Since a dime planchet is smaller and thinner, parts of the wheat penny design are cut off or missing. The coin looks obviously undersized and wrong.
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Wrong-planchet errors require a chain of mishaps in the production process. They’re genuine rarities. A 1957 wheat penny on a dime planchet can fetch at least $1,000 depending on condition and how much of the design is visible.
4. 1957-D Lamination Error
Lamination errors happen when impurities or gas bubbles get trapped between metal layers during planchet preparation. On 1957-D pennies, they’re especially visible in Lincoln’s hair area — the result of incomplete mixing of the 95% copper and 5% tin-and-zinc alloy. The coin looks like it’s peeling or flaking, almost shedding a layer of skin.
Small lamination errors on common dates like the 1957-D add modest value — a few dollars to $50–$100 for dramatic examples. Bigger, more eye-catching laminations are worth submitting for authentication and grading.
5. 1957 Clipped & Off-Center Wheat Penny Error
Two errors on one coin. First, a chunk of the planchet was clipped (missing) before striking. Then the design was struck about 15% off-center, cutting away even more detail. On the best examples, roughly a quarter of the coin is clipped and the remaining design is shifted.
Off-center strikes alone bring $10–$50 depending on severity. Pair that with a clipped planchet and you can reach $250 or more for a dramatic example in decent shape.
6. 1957 Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) and Reverse (DDR)
Doubled die errors happen when the hub strikes the working die more than once at a slightly different angle. Every coin struck from that die shows the doubling. On 1957 wheat pennies, check LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date on the obverse. On the reverse, look at ONE CENT and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Don’t expect the dramatic doubling you see on the famous 1955 DDO. The 1957 varieties are more subtle — typically $20 to several hundred dollars depending on clarity and condition. One important thing: learn to tell true doubled dies from machine doubling. Machine doubling looks flat and shelf-like. It adds almost nothing to value.
Also Read: 42 Rare Penny Errors List with Pictures (By Year)
Where to Sell Your 1957 Wheat Penny
Now that you’ve determined your coin’s worth, are you wondering about the best online platforms to sell it? Get a full breakdown of the best websites for selling coins, complete with detailed descriptions, advantages, and drawbacks.
Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)
1957 Wheat Penny Market Trend
Market Interest Trend Chart - 1957 Penny
Market interest: 25,130 collectors tracking this coin as of Sep 2026 — up 900 from Mar 2026. 12-month peak: 25,820 (Jan 2026).
*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.
FAQ About the 1957 Wheat Penny Value
1. How much is a 1957 wheat penny worth today?
In average circulated condition, about 5–25 cents. Uncirculated Red examples in MS65 range from $10–$50. The rarest MS67+ Red specimens sell for $1,650–$20,500. Proof varieties start at $10 for standard proofs and top out at $29,375 for a Deep Cameo. Always check the color designation (RD, RB, or BN) — it makes a huge difference.
2. What makes a 1957-D wheat penny valuable?
Mintage alone doesn’t do it — over 1 billion were struck, so circulated examples are worth just 5–25 cents. The value cliff hits at MS-67 Red, where coins fetch $310–$350 versus a flat $22–$28 at MS-66 Red. Only 18 examples have ever graded MS67+ Red at PCGS, each worth approximately $6,500. Errors like RPMs and lamination errors add premiums too.
3. What is the color designation on a 1957 wheat penny and why does it matter?
Red (RD), Red-Brown (RB), and Brown (BN) describe how much original copper color remains on uncirculated coins. Red means 95%+ original color. A Red coin can be worth 3–5 times more than a Brown coin at the same numerical grade. Example: a 1957-D MS65 Red may be worth $20 while the same coin in Brown brings just $2–$3.
4. What is the rarest 1957 wheat penny?
The 1957 DCAM (Deep Cameo) proof. Only 35–40 examples are estimated to exist across all grades. A PR68 Red DCAM sold for $29,375 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions in 2021. PCGS has never graded any 1957 DCAM higher than PR69.
5. How can I tell if my 1957 wheat penny has a doubled die error?
Grab a 10× loupe and look at LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date under bright, direct light. A genuine doubled die shows strong, raised doubling — letters look thick and bold with a clearly offset second impression. Machine doubling is different: flat, shelf-like, with a “smeared” look. True DDOs on 1957 pennies are worth $20 to several hundred dollars. Machine doubling adds almost nothing.
6. What does the BIE error look like on a 1957 wheat penny?
Look for a small raised vertical line between the “B” and “E” in LIBERTY on the obverse. It makes the word look like “BIIE” or “B I E.” It’s caused by a die crack that transfers onto every coin struck afterward. More common in 1957 because high production volume wore dies down faster. Most examples are worth $5–$15.
7. Why is the 1957 proof wheat penny production historically significant?
The 1957 proof mintage of 1,247,952 coins was the highest single-year proof output in the entire wheat penny series — more than double the figure from just a few years earlier. The coin collecting boom of the late 1950s drove it, fueled by the famous 1955 Doubled Die cent and the scarce 1950-D Jefferson Nickel.
8. Is a cleaned 1957 wheat penny worth anything?
Barely. Cleaning strips the original surface and luster, leaving hairline scratches visible under magnification. PCGS and NGC will label cleaned coins as “Details” grades instead of giving a full numerical grade. Dealers pay significantly less. A cleaned 1957 penny is generally worth only its copper melt value of about 2 cents, no matter what grade it might have achieved raw and original.
9. How do I know if my 1957 wheat penny is Philadelphia or Denver?
Look directly below the date on the front of the coin. See a “D”? Denver Mint. No letter at all? Philadelphia. Philly didn’t use a mint mark on cents until the 1980s. No 1957 wheat pennies were struck at San Francisco, so you’ll never find an “S” on one.
10. Should I get my 1957 wheat penny professionally graded?
It depends. If your coin looks uncirculated with bright red color, or shows a clear error like a repunched mint mark, dramatic off-center strike, or wrong planchet — yes, it’s worth the $30–$50 grading fee. For circulated or heavily toned examples, the grading cost usually exceeds the coin’s value. My rule of thumb: submit it if you think it could sell for $100 or more. And never, ever clean a coin before sending it in.
