Penny · 1972

1972 Memorial Penny Value

Prices updated: September 3, 2026

About the 1972 penny

The 1972 cent is a regular circulation issue, struck in bronze (95% copper, 5% zinc), weighing 3.11 g, 19 mm across, from a design by Victor David Brenner. It was struck at Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco — 5,975,265,508 coins in all, which is why an ordinary example is worth close to face value however well it has been kept.

For scale, 1972 mintage was 40% lower than in 1975 (9,956,751,442 that year) — enough to compare, not enough to change how the coin is valued today.

San Francisco made the fewest at 376,939,108, against 2,933,255,000 from Philadelphia — a 8-to-1 difference, and the one number on this page most likely to matter if the date is ever collected seriously.

The spread on this date is almost entirely about condition. A worn example is $0.01; the same coin certified MS66BN carries a guide value of $750, and PCGS has graded 8 that high. Everything between those two numbers is a question of how the coin was handled in its first weeks.

Legends on this design — obverse: “IN GOD WE TRUST · LIBERTY”. Reverse: “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA · E • PLURIBUS · UNUM · ONE CENT”.

Population figures put that in perspective. Across the grades listed here PCGS has certified 5,004 examples of this date, and only 8 of them reached MS66BN. A coin that spent years in a till will not be among them; one pulled from a roll and never touched might be. That gap is the whole reason two coins with the same date sell for very different money.

There is also a record of what people actually paid. The highest recorded sale for this date is $960, at Stack's Bowers in March 2026. Auction results move around the guide values rather than matching them — the same coin can bring more on a day two determined bidders want it, and less when nobody does.

Value chart by grade

What the grades mean

Grades run G to UNC, then MS60–MS70, where most value sits. How coin grading works →

Uncirculated values (MS grades)

Most value lives above UNC — population shows the rarity.

No mint mark PCGS #2951

Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 89 examples in MS67RD — that's why the price jumps from $25 to $300.

Mint mark D PCGS #2954

Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 45 examples in MS67RD — that's why the price jumps from $26 to $575.

Mint mark S PCGS #2957

Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 30 examples in MS67RD — that's why the price jumps from $26 to $185.

What BN, RB and RD mean

Copper darkens with age, and graders record how much original colour survives: BN fully toned, RB part-original, RD still mint-red and much the hardest to find. The difference moves the price as much as the grade does. More on grading →

How to identify your 1972 penny

What if it has already been cleaned?

Still identifies the same — you lose the premium. Don't try to fix it.

Where is the mint mark

It sits on the obverse, just below the date. No letter means Philadelphia — normal, not rare. What the letter means →

Proof and collector versions

Alongside the coins made for circulation, the Mint sold 1 collector version of the 1972 1972 penny — proofs and special finishes struck at San Francisco and sold directly in sets. These never entered circulation, so if your coin came out of a till or a jar it is not one of them. They carry an S mint mark and a mirror or satin finish that is obvious next to an ordinary coin. The scarcest was struck in 3,260,996.

Rare varieties of this year

These are the coins worth looking for. Each one is a different die or planchet from the regular issue above, and each is priced separately.

Auction records

What to do with your 1972 penny

1. Don't clean it

   Leave the surface alone — see the warning above.

2. Check the varieties

   Go back through the 1 variety above before deciding what you have — the difference between the common coin and the valuable one is usually a single detail.

3. Is it worth grading?

   Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. For this coin it can pay off in high grades — MS67RD examples are valued at $300, and the top of the scale runs to $575. Grading is worth considering only if the coin has no wear and full original lustre.

4. Where to sell

   Dealer: fastest, pays least. Auction: best for coins worth $100+. eBay: most buyers, most fees.

Specifications

FAQ

How much is a 1972 penny worth?

A circulated 1972 penny is worth $0.01 to $0.59 depending on condition and mint mark. In top uncirculated grades it goes much higher — the PCGS guide reaches $750 in MS66BN.

How many 1972 pennies were made?

About 5,975,265,508 in total — Philadelphia 2,933,255,000, Denver 2,665,071,400, San Francisco 376,939,108. That is a large mintage, which is why circulated examples stay inexpensive.

Where is the mint mark on a 1972 penny?

See “Where is the mint mark” above.

Are there rare 1972 penny varieties?

Yes — 1 are catalogued for this date: Doubled Die Obverse (multiple varieties; noticable in "IN GOD WE TRUST"). They are priced separately from the ordinary coin.

What is the S penny from 1972?

An S mint mark on a 1972 penny means a collector coin from San Francisco — 1 proof and special-finish versions were sold in sets rather than released into circulation. The scarcest was struck in 3,260,996. They are not found in change.

Should I get my 1972 penny graded?

Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. For this date it can pay off at the very top of the scale, where the guide reaches $750, but only for a coin with no wear and full lustre.

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