Penny · 1982
1982 Memorial Penny Value
A 1982 penny is worth $0.01 to $1.48 in circulated condition, depending on its mint mark and wear. The record price at auction is $120 (David Lawrence RC, 2023).
Prices updated:
About the 1982 penny
The 1982 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 — 33,451,008,736 coins in all.
For scale, 1982 mintage was 160% higher than in 1981, when 12,864,985,677 were struck.
Denver made the fewest at 12,025,958,736, against 21,425,050,000 from Philadelphia.
The spread on this date is almost entirely about condition. A worn example is $0.01; the same coin certified MS68RD carries a guide value of $4,350, and PCGS has graded 3 that high. Everything between those two numbers is a question of how the coin was handled in its first weeks.
Population figures put that in perspective. Across the grades listed here PCGS has certified 8,603 examples of this date, and only 3 of them reached MS68RD. 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 $120, at David Lawrence RC in January 2023. 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
| Design | Mint mark | Mintage | G | VG | F | VF | XF | AU | UNC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | No mint mark | 10,712,525,00010712.5M | $0.02 | $0.06 | $0.06 | $0.12 | $0.12 | $0.27 | $0.52 |
| copper plated zinc | No mint mark | 10,712,525,00010712.5M | $0.01 | $0.03 | $0.06 | $0.17 | $0.17 | $0.20 | $0.78 |
| Bronze | D | 6,012,979,3686013M | $0.01 | $0.06 | $0.09 | $0.11 | $0.11 | $0.11 | $0.35 |
| copper plated zinc | D | 6,012,979,3686013M | $0.03 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.76 |
| Bronze | No mint mark | —— | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.14 | $0.92 |
| Bronze | D | —— | — | — | — | — | $0.23 | $0.73 | $1.48 |
| copper plated zinc | No mint mark | —— | $0.05 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.12 | $0.14 | $0.37 | $0.94 |
| copper plated zinc | D | —— | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.01 | $0.06 | $0.16 | $0.16 | $0.96 |
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 #3045
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $6 | 18 | 950 |
| MS65RD | $10 | 154 | 706 |
| MS66RD | $14 | 364 | 342 |
| MS67RD | $55 | 317 | 20 |
| MS68RD | $425 | 15 | 0 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 15 examples in MS68RD — that's why the price jumps from $55 to $425.
No mint mark PCGS #146027
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $6 | 14 | 2,118 |
| MS65RD | $14 | 130 | 1,932 |
| MS66RD | $18 | 612 | 1,318 |
| MS67RD | $22 | 949 | 349 |
| MS68RD | $140 | 186 | 11 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 186 examples in MS68RD — that's why the price jumps from $22 to $140.
Mint mark D PCGS #3048
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RB | $2 | 0 | 8 |
| MS65RB | $4 | 1 | 5 |
| MS66RB | $5 | 5 | 0 |
Mint mark D PCGS #146033
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $6 | 5 | 1,069 |
| MS65RD | $14 | 73 | 979 |
| MS66RD | $24 | 442 | 537 |
| MS67RD | $45 | 421 | 81 |
| MS68RD | $375 | 41 | 4 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 41 examples in MS68RD — that's why the price jumps from $45 to $375.
No mint mark PCGS #146020
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $6 | 24 | 1,147 |
| MS65RD | $36 | 364 | 573 |
| MS66RD | $75 | 510 | 61 |
| MS67RD | $215 | 41 | 10 |
| MS68RD | $4,350 | 3 | 0 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 364 examples in MS65RD — that's why the price jumps from $6 to $36.
Mint mark D PCGS #146024
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $6 | 141 | 799 |
| MS65RD | $27 | 224 | 389 |
| MS66RD | $42 | 346 | 43 |
| MS67RD | $250 | 31 | 4 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 31 examples in MS67RD — that's why the price jumps from $42 to $250.
No mint mark PCGS #146030
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $3 | 24 | 1,245 |
| MS65RD | $10 | 176 | 978 |
| MS66RD | $24 | 452 | 524 |
| MS67RD | $60 | 431 | 87 |
| MS68RD | $525 | 45 | 6 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 45 examples in MS68RD — that's why the price jumps from $60 to $525.
Mint mark D PCGS #146036
| Grade | Value | Graded in this grade | Finer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS63RD | $8 | 22 | 1,120 |
| MS65RD | $18 | 198 | 823 |
| MS66RD | $24 | 396 | 426 |
| MS67RD | $48 | 370 | 41 |
| MS68RD | $425 | 22 | 2 |
Common in circulation, rare in top grade: PCGS has graded only 22 examples in MS68RD — that's why the price jumps from $48 to $425.
PCGS Price Guide values for certified (slabbed) coins. Population — how many PCGS has graded.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 1982 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 1982 1982 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 3,857,479.
| Design | Format | Mint | Mintage | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | Proof (large date) | S | 3,857,4793.9M | $2.03 |
Auction records
Real sales, not estimates. An auction result is one coin on one day, so individual prices land on both sides of the guide values above; the figures exclude the buyer's premium.| Date | Coin | Auction house | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | No mint mark, Small date; mintage included in above | David Lawrence RC | $120 |
| Dec 2008 | D, Small Date; mintage included in above | Heritage Auctions | $104 |
| Jan 2023 | D, Large Date; mintage combined with Copper cents | David Lawrence RC | $32 |
| Jan 2023 | No mint mark, Large Date; mintage combined with Copper cents | David Lawrence RC | $28 |
| Mar 2020 | D, Large Date; mintage combined with Copper cents | David Lawrence RC | $10 |
| Aug 2013 | D, Large date; mintage combined with Zinc cents | Great Collections | $9 |
What to do with your 1982 penny
Don't clean it
Leave the surface alone — see the warning above.
Is it worth grading?
Grading costs roughly $50–100 per coin. For this coin it can pay off in high grades — MS68RD examples are valued at $425, and the top of the scale runs to $4,350. Grading is worth considering only if the coin has no wear and full original lustre.
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)
1 Cent "Lincoln Memorial Cent" (copper plated zinc)
- Composition
- Copper plated zinc
- Weight
- 2.5 g
- Diameter
- 19.05 mm
- Thickness
- 1.3 mm
- Edge
- Plain
- Designer
- Victor David Brenner
- Mints
- United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States Mint of Denver
FAQ
How much is a 1982 penny worth?
A circulated 1982 penny is worth $0.01 to $1.48 depending on condition and mint mark. In top uncirculated grades it goes much higher — the PCGS guide reaches $4,350 in MS68RD.
How many 1982 pennies were made?
About 33,451,008,736 in total spread across 2 designs — Philadelphia 21,425,050,000, Denver 12,025,958,736.
How many different 1982 pennies are there?
2 designs were issued in 1982: Bronze, copper plated zinc. Each was struck at Philadelphia and Denver, so a complete set of circulation coins is 4 pieces.
Are there rare 1982 penny varieties?
No varieties are catalogued for this date.
What is the S penny from 1982?
An S mint mark on a 1982 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 3,857,479. They are not found in change.
Should I get my 1982 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 $4,350, but only for a coin with no wear and full lustre.
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