Penny · 1978
1978 Memorial Penny Value
A 1978 penny is worth $0.03 to $0.64 in circulated condition, depending on its mint mark and wear.
Prices updated:
About the 1978 penny
The 1978 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 — 9,838,838,400 coins in all, which is why an ordinary example is worth close to face value however well it has been kept.
Denver made the fewest at 4,280,233,400, against 5,558,605,000 from Philadelphia. The mints are within the same order of magnitude, so on this date the mint mark does far less to the price than condition does.
This is a recent coin, so there is no meaningful spread yet: circulated examples run from $0.03 to $0.64, and the grading data that separates ordinary coins from exceptional ones has not built up.
Legends on this design — obverse: “IN GOD WE TRUST · LIBERTY”. Reverse: “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA · E • PLURIBUS · UNUM · ONE CENT”.
Value chart by grade
| Mint mark | Mintage | G | VG | F | VF | XF | AU | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No mint mark | 5,558,605,0005558.6M | $0.03 | $0.06 | $0.06 | $0.12 | $0.12 | $0.12 | $0.64 |
| D | 4,280,233,4004280.2M | $0.03 | $0.06 | $0.12 | $0.13 | $0.13 | $0.13 | $0.43 |
What the grades mean
Grades run G to UNC, then MS60–MS70, where most value sits. How coin grading works →
How to identify your 1978 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 1978 1978 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 3,127,781.
| Format | Mint | Mintage | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof | S | 3,127,7813.1M | $1.70 |
What to do with your 1978 penny
Don't clean it
Leave the surface alone — see the warning above.
Is it worth grading?
Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. Against a mintage of 9,838,838,400 and a best circulated value of $0.64, the fee is more than the coin returns. Keep it raw unless it is exceptional or you suspect a variety.
Where to sell
Dealer: fastest, pays least. Auction: best for coins worth $100+. eBay: most buyers, most fees.
Specifications
1 Cent "Lincoln Memorial Cent" (Bronze)
- Composition
- Bronze (95% copper, 5% zinc)
- Weight
- 3.11 g
- Diameter
- 19 mm
- Thickness
- 1.3 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- Victor David Brenner
- Mints
- United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States Mint of Denver, United States Mint of San Francisco (collector issues only)
FAQ
How much is a 1978 penny worth?
A circulated 1978 penny is worth $0.03 to $0.64 depending on condition and mint mark. It is a recent coin in everyday circulation, so condition is the only thing that moves the price.
How many 1978 pennies were made?
About 9,838,838,400 in total — Philadelphia 5,558,605,000, Denver 4,280,233,400. That is a large mintage, which is why circulated examples stay inexpensive.
Where is the mint mark on a 1978 penny?
See “Where is the mint mark” above.
Are there rare 1978 penny varieties?
No major varieties are catalogued for this date. That does not rule out minting errors on individual coins — off-centre strikes, clipped planchets and doubled dies turn up in any year — but there is no known variety that makes the date itself scarce. With 9,838,838,400 struck, a variety would need to be genuinely rare to stand out from a run this size.
What is the S penny from 1978?
An S mint mark on a 1978 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 3,127,781. They are not found in change.
Should I get my 1978 penny graded?
Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. For this date the best circulated examples guide at $0.64, from a mintage of 9,838,838,400 — the fee is many times what the coin returns, so keep it raw unless you suspect a genuine error.
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