2024 Penny Value Checker: Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth

The 2024 Lincoln Shield penny is now officially the last full year of U.S. circulating penny production. On November 12, 2025, the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia struck its final circulating cent, ending a tradition that began in 1793.

That single historical fact changes everything for collectors. What was once a common modern coin is now the last of its kind — and collector demand has already started to rise.

 

2024 Penny Value By Variety

The 2024 Lincoln Shield penny offers collectors three distinct varieties to pursue: the Philadelphia no-mint-mark business strike, the Denver “D” business strike, and the San Francisco “S” proof with Deep Cameo (DCAM) finish.

Values range from face value for worn circulated examples up to $1,690 for a perfect MS68 Red Philadelphia cent, based on a documented auction record from March 2024. If you know the grade of your coin, you can find the exact price below in the Value Guides section.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Pennies Worth Money (1959 – Present)

 

History of The 2024 Penny

The 2024 penny’s place in history was sealed on February 9, 2025, when President Trump posted on Truth Social: “For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!”

He instructed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt penny production. By May 2025, the Treasury officially confirmed it would stop minting new pennies once blank planchet stock ran out. The final circulating penny was struck on November 12, 2025, at the Philadelphia Mint — with Treasury Secretary Bessent and Treasurer Brandon Beach present for the historic moment.

That makes the 2024 issue the last full calendar year of U.S. penny production. The U.S. Mint lost $85.3 million producing nearly 3.2 billion pennies in fiscal year 2024, at a cost of 3.69 cents per coin — up 20.2% from the year before. That figure had been above face value for 19 consecutive fiscal years.

The design now carried by this historic coin began in 2010, when the Union Shield replaced the Lincoln Memorial after 51 years. The Shield design itself emerged from controversy. The Commission of Fine Arts initially selected a wheat sheaf design, but it was withdrawn because it resembled a 1924 German pfennig.

The very first Shield pennies actually entered circulation in Puerto Rico in January 2010, weeks before the official mainland release, due to an acute island coin shortage. The 2024 issue marks the 15th consecutive year of the Shield reverse — a design that will now be permanently associated with the penny’s final chapter.

Also Read: Top 100 Rarest Pennies Worth Money (1787 – Present)

 

Is Your 2024 Penny Rare?

The 2024 penny is technically a high-mintage coin, with about 3.23 billion produced. But rarity for modern coins is defined by condition, not just mintage numbers.

Because these coins are made of 97.5% zinc with only a thin copper-plating layer (just a few microns thick), the soft zinc surface picks up bag marks and contact damage easily during automated handling. That makes truly pristine, fully Red (RD) examples genuinely scarce at the highest grade levels.

To verify specific grades or identify any valuable error varieties that occasionally surface in modern production, our Coin Value Checker App provides comprehensive analysis and current market pricing.

 

Key Features of The 2024 Penny

The 2024 penny represents the 15th and final full year of the Shield reverse design, a coin that now bridges Lincoln’s historic legacy with the end of America’s penny era.

The Obverse Of The 2024 Penny

The obverse features Lincoln’s iconic right-facing portrait, originally designed by Victor David Brenner in 1909 to commemorate Lincoln’s 100th birthday. The year “2024” appears to Lincoln’s right, with “LIBERTY” on his left, and “IN GOD WE TRUST” following the coin’s upper edge.

The initials VDB — standing for Victor David Brenner — appear near Lincoln’s right shoulder, a detail reintroduced in 1918 after being removed from the original 1909 VDB pennies due to public criticism of their prominence. Modern striking techniques have given the 2024 penny especially sharp details, particularly in Lincoln’s hair and beard.

The Reverse Of The 2024 Penny

The reverse displays the Union Shield — 13 vertical stripes representing the original colonies, topped by a horizontal bar symbolizing federal unity. A scroll across the shield reads “ONE CENT.”

The designer’s initials “LB” and “JFM” flank the shield’s tip, representing Lyndall Bass and Joseph Menna. “E PLURIBUS UNUM” arcs above the shield, and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” runs along the outer edge. This design was introduced in 2010 and replaced the Lincoln Memorial reverse that had appeared since 1959.

Other Features Of The 2024 Penny

The 2024 penny is composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, with the zinc core making up 99.2% of the interior. It weighs exactly 2.50 grams, measures 19.05 mm in diameter, and has a plain (unreeded) edge.

The copper layer is applied by barrel electroplating, creating only a few microns of copper on the coin’s surface. This gives new coins their bright red (RD) appearance, but also makes them vulnerable to toning — even brief humidity exposure can push a coin from the premium RD designation into the lower-value Red-Brown (RB) or Brown (BN) tier.

Also Read: 100 Most Valuable Wheat Pennies Worth Money (1909 to 1958)

 

The Easy Way to Know Your 2024 Penny Value

Start by checking three things: the mint mark location (below the date on the obverse), the coin’s color (Red, Red-Brown, or Brown), and its surface condition under good lighting.

Most circulated 2024 pennies are worth face value — $0.01. Uncirculated examples at MS65 Red (RD) are worth around $0.40 to a few dollars. The value jumps dramatically at MS67 RD, which commands $15 to $50, and MS68 RD, which is extremely rare and has sold for over $1,600 at auction. For quick and accurate assessment, use the Coin Value Checker App to identify errors and determine your coin’s grade through instant photo analysis.

 

2024 Penny Value Guides

The U.S. Mint produced 2024 pennies at three facilities — Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco — each creating a distinct variety for collectors to pursue.

Philadelphia (no mint mark) and Denver (“D”) strikes were made for everyday circulation. San Francisco (“S”) produced proof-only specimens with the coveted Deep Cameo (DCAM) finish — frosted raised devices against mirror-like fields — that are sold exclusively through official collector sets. Note that the 2024-S penny in the Silver Proof Set is made of copper-plated zinc, not silver.

Color designations matter greatly for Lincoln cents:

• RD (Red): Full original copper color — the highest-value designation. Required for premium pricing at all grades.
• RB (Red-Brown): Mixed original red and brown toning. Values typically 40–75% lower than RD at the same grade.
• BN (Brown): Fully toned brown. The lowest designation, found on most circulated coins.

Available 2024 Penny Varieties:

• 2024 No Mint Mark Shield (Philadelphia)
• 2024-D Shield (Denver)
• 2024-S DCAM Shield (San Francisco Proof)

Also Read: Value Of Old Pennies By Year (1959-Present)

 

2024 No Mint Mark Shield Penny Value

Philadelphia pennies carry no mint mark — a blank space directly below the date identifies them as coming from the Philadelphia Mint. Philadelphia has produced pennies without a mint mark since 1793, with the sole exception being the special 2017 commemorative issue, which carried a “P” for the first time ever.

The 2024 Philadelphia cent is notable in the registry-set market, where collectors compete for certified coins at the highest grades. An early auction record of $1,690 for a 2024-P MS68 RD was set on March 24, 2024, at a time when the certified population was nearly zero. Since then, the market has stabilized, and more examples have been submitted to PCGS and NGC. Die variety attributions for any doubled die obverse (DDO) findings from the 2024-P issue can be tracked through Wexler’s Shield Cent Doubled Die Files.

The sharp value cliff between MS66 RD and MS67 RD is the defining feature of this issue. An MS66 RD is worth a few dollars at most, while an MS67 RD can command $15 to $50 — a 5x to 10x jump. This occurs because automated bulk coin handling at the mint and in the banking system damages soft zinc surfaces on virtually every coin, making fully pristine examples genuinely scarce.

Also Read: Lincoln Wheat Penny Value (1909-1958)

 

2024-D Shield Penny Value

The Denver Mint strikes coins at roughly 12.5 coins per second using high-speed modern presses, and the “D” mint mark below the date on the obverse identifies every coin made there. In fiscal year 2024, combined Denver and Philadelphia production totaled approximately 3.23 billion pennies — representing 57.5% of all U.S. coins produced that year.

This was the third consecutive year of declining penny production. For context, 2024 mintage was less than half the levels seen in 2021. PCGS records show the auction record for a 2024-D MS67 RD is $153, achieved at an eBay auction on October 11, 2024. For comparison, the same coin in MS66 RD would sell for a small fraction of that amount, illustrating the dramatic grade-to-value relationship in modern Lincoln cents.

With nickels and dimes seeing production halts in 2024, pennies remained the single highest-volume coin at the Denver Mint, even as each one cost 3.69 cents to produce. That economic paradox — producing billions of coins at a net loss — was ultimately the argument that ended penny production entirely.

The chart below will better help you understand how this coin is performing in the market.

 

2024-S DCAM Shield Penny Value

The 2024-S proof penny is produced exclusively at the San Francisco Mint for collectors, and the “S” mint mark below the date identifies every example. It is sold only through official U.S. Mint collector sets and is never released into circulation.

The Deep Cameo (DCAM) designation describes the visual contrast between the frosted raised designs (devices) and the mirror-like flat fields on these proof coins. This contrast is created by specially prepared dies and multiple strikes under greater pressure than business strikes receive. A collector purchased a PR70-DCAM 2024-S penny for $47 in September 2024, demonstrating early market activity for this top-grade proof despite its modern vintage.

The 2024-S is the scarcest 2024 penny by default, since San Francisco produces far fewer proof coins than the hundreds of millions struck for circulation in Philadelphia and Denver. For the 2024-S in PR65 condition, values are approximately $2.60, while perfect PR70 DCAM examples have already attracted collector premiums above $30. Primary pricing references include the PCGS CoinFacts page for the 2024-S Proof DCAM and the NGC Coin Explorer.

The market activity chart reveals how collectors respond to these exclusive releases throughout the year.

Also Read: Top 100 Most Valuable Modern Pennies Worth Money (1959 – Present)

 

Rare 2024 Penny Error List

Error coins are created when something goes wrong during the minting process, and these unique imperfections can turn a common penny into a coin worth many times its face value. The 2024 Lincoln cent, like every modern issue, has already generated documented errors that collectors are actively hunting.

Because 2024 is now the last full year of circulating penny production, early discoveries of new 2024 errors carry additional significance. Here are the documented error types confirmed for the 2024 series:

1. 2024-D Penny Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) Error

A Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) error occurs when the working die receives multiple impressions from the hub at slightly different angles during manufacture. The result is a coin where letters, numbers, or portrait details appear doubled — with a clean “shadow” or “echo” alongside each design element.

On 2024-D pennies, collectors have documented doubling on the VDB initials and the word LIBERTY on the obverse. In August 2024, one confirmed example sold for $117 during an eBay auction. The value of any DDO depends heavily on the strength and visibility of the doubling — stronger, more visible examples command higher prices.

To distinguish a genuine DDO from common machine doubling (MD), look closely at the edges of the letters. True doubled dies show rounded, separated design elements. Machine doubling shows a flat, shelf-like smearing with no depth, and is worth very little.

2. 2024-D Penny Reverse Grease Struck-Through Error

A grease struck-through error happens when grease, oil, or debris clogs part of the die before striking, preventing those details from fully transferring to the coin. The affected areas look soft, mushy, or completely blank while the rest of the coin remains sharp — because these errors only affect freshly struck, otherwise mint-state coins.

In March 2024, Heritage Auctions sold a 2024-D penny with a reverse grease struck-through error for $190, making it one of the most expensive single 2024 penny errors on record. Dramatic examples that affect prominent design elements — like the shield stripes or large lettering — command the highest prices.

3. 2024-D Penny Missing VDB Initials Error

This is a variation of the grease struck-through error specifically affecting the tiny VDB initials at the base of Lincoln’s portrait. When grease clogs the die in that precise area, the initials fail to appear — leaving a smooth, blank surface where VDB should be.

Examples of 2024 pennies with completely missing VDB initials have sold on eBay for $51 to $58, with condition-dependent premiums pushing some higher. Always use a 5x or 10x loupe to inspect this area on coins that are otherwise in sharp, uncirculated condition.

4. 2024-D Penny Retained Die Break (Cud) Error

A retained die break — also called a “cud” — occurs when a section of the die cracks and partially detaches, but stays in position during striking. Metal flows into the fractured space and creates a thick, raised blob of extra metal on the finished coin.

On 2024-D pennies, this error has been documented in the coin-identifier community as one of the higher-value varieties. The premium rises significantly when the cud affects a prominent area like Lincoln’s face or the date. Coins with cuds in high-visibility areas are among the most collectible of all 2024 die break errors.

5. 2024-D Penny “W-Shaped Gouge” Die Error

One of the most visually dramatic 2024-D errors is a sharply raised “W”-shaped mark appearing on Lincoln’s coat, near the shoulder area. This is believed to have been caused by an accidental deep scratch or indentation in the working die during production.

Because every coin struck from that damaged die carries the same raised mark, this error is consistently reproducible and instantly identifiable. It gained attention quickly after discovery and has been described as one of the highest-priced 2024-D penny errors documented so far. Values for strong examples can reach several hundred dollars depending on overall coin condition.

Also Read: 42 Rare Penny Errors List with Pictures (By Year)

 

Where To Sell Your 2024 Penny

Whether you have a common circulation strike or a rare error variety, choosing the right platform to sell your 2024 pennies can significantly impact your return. Consider your penny’s condition, variety, and current market demand when selecting your selling venue to maximize your profit potential.

Check out now: Best Places To Sell Coins Online (Pros & Cons)

 

2024 Penny Market Trend

*Market Trend Chart showing the number of people paying attention to this coin.

 

FAQ About The 2024 Penny

1. How much is a 2024 penny worth?

Most circulated 2024 pennies from pocket change are worth exactly $0.01 — their face value.

Uncirculated coins graded MS65 Red (RD) are worth around $0.40. The value increases sharply at higher grades: an MS67 RD typically sells for $15 to $50, while a documented MS68 RD Philadelphia cent sold at auction for $1,690 on March 24, 2024. Error coins like the 2024-D doubled die obverse can sell for $117 or more, and grease struck-through errors have reached $190 at Heritage Auctions.

2. Is a 2024-S penny rare?

Yes, the 2024-S is the scarcest 2024 penny by design.

San Francisco produces proof specimens exclusively for collector sets and never releases them into circulation. The total mintage is far lower than the billions of business strikes from Philadelphia and Denver. In PR65 condition, the 2024-S is worth about $2.60, while a perfect PR70 Deep Cameo (DCAM) example — like one sold in September 2024 for $47 — represents the top of the market for this variety.

3. Why is the 2024 penny historically important?

The 2024 penny is the last full calendar year of circulating U.S. penny production.

President Trump ordered the halt of penny minting in February 2025, and the U.S. Mint struck its final circulating cent on November 12, 2025. The U.S. Treasury had been losing money on penny production since 2006, with 2024 losses totaling $85.3 million on 3.2 billion coins. Making the 2024 issue the last of its kind adds genuine collector significance to every date and mint mark from this year.

4. What is the color designation for a 2024 penny and why does it matter?

Lincoln cents are classified into three color designations: Red (RD), Red-Brown (RB), and Brown (BN).

Red (RD) describes a coin that retains its full original copper luster. It commands the highest premium at every grade level. Red-Brown (RB) coins show a mix of original red and natural brown toning, and they typically sell for 40–75% less than an RD coin at the same grade. Brown (BN) is the most common condition and commands the lowest prices. For maximum value, seek RD-designated examples stored in inert coin holders away from humidity.

5. What does “MS” or “PR” grade mean on a 2024 penny?

MS stands for Mint State — used for business strike coins that have never circulated, graded on the Sheldon Scale from MS60 to MS70.

PR stands for Proof — used exclusively for specially made collector coins like the 2024-S. Both scales go from 60 (lowest uncirculated) to 70 (perfect). PCGS and NGC are the two most widely respected third-party grading services (TPGs) that assign these grades and seal coins in tamper-evident plastic holders called “slabs.” Having a coin certified and slabbed by PCGS or NGC is important for high-grade 2024 pennies worth more than a few dollars.

6. What errors should I look for on a 2024 penny?

The most valuable documented 2024 penny errors include the Doubled Die Obverse (DDO) showing doubling on “LIBERTY” or the VDB initials, the reverse grease struck-through error (sold for $190 at Heritage Auctions in March 2024), the missing VDB initials error ($51–$58 on eBay), the retained die break or “cud” error, and the “W-shaped gouge” die error on Lincoln’s coat.

Use a 10x loupe to examine fine details. Genuine doubled dies show clean, rounded doubling — not the flat, shelf-like appearance of worthless machine doubling (MD).

7. Should I clean my 2024 penny to improve its appearance?

Never clean a 2024 penny. This is one of the most important rules in coin collecting.

Abrasives strip the thin copper plating on the coin’s surface. Chemical cleaners darken the exposed zinc core and create unnatural toning. Even a coin that looks obviously dirty before cleaning will be permanently damaged afterward — graders at PCGS and NGC can immediately detect cleaned surfaces, and cleaned coins are assigned a “details” grade that drastically reduces their market value. Store uncirculated coins in inert mylar flips or certified slabs instead.

8. Is the 2024 penny made of copper?

No — the 2024 penny is 97.5% zinc with only a thin copper outer plating.

The switch from 95% copper to the copper-plated zinc composition happened in mid-1982 when rising copper prices made the original formula too expensive. The zinc core accounts for 99.2% of the coin’s interior mass, while the copper layer is just a few microns thick. This explains why 2024 pennies develop a brown or dull color when circulated — the thin copper plating wears off quickly.

9. How does the 2024 penny compare to Canada’s last penny in collector value?

Canada stopped producing its penny in 2012, and numismatic experts point to that example as a guide for what may happen with U.S. pennies.

After Canada’s penny was discontinued, final-year issues and coins with errors or significant mint marks saw rising collector interest in the years that followed. PCGS President Stephanie Sabin specifically referenced this trend when speaking to Newsweek in February 2025, noting that discontinued coins typically see “a resurgence of interest.” The 2024 U.S. penny, as the last full-year issue, occupies the same historically significant position.

10. Where can I find the current certified population for 2024 pennies at PCGS or NGC?

Population data for 2024 issues is still actively developing, since coins are continuously being submitted for grading.

For live population numbers, visit the PCGS Population Report at pcgs.com/pop and search for the 2024 Lincoln Shield Cent (PCGS #936054 for the Philadelphia RD, #941225 for the Denver RD, and #941585 for the San Francisco DCAM Proof). For NGC, use the NGC Coin Census at ngccoin.com/census. Values at the MS68 grade level in particular can shift meaningfully as more coins are certified — always check current census data before making significant buying or grading decisions.