Obverse

Reverse

One Cent (1¢)

Lincoln Wheat Cent

United States of America · 1957

A bronze US penny featuring the portrait of Abraham Lincoln and two wheat stalks on the reverse. This specific specimen appears to have undergone significant environmental damage or plating.

Country: United States of America
Year: 1957
Denomination: One Cent (1¢)
Metal: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc

This report is AI-generated and can be wrong. Always verify grade, authenticity, and value with a qualified dealer or certified grading service before buying, selling, or insuring.

Identified May 3, 2026More united states of america coins →

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Overview

A bronze US penny featuring the portrait of Abraham Lincoln and two wheat stalks on the reverse. This specific specimen appears to have undergone significant environmental damage or plating.

Historical significance

The Lincoln Cent was introduced in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. The 'Wheat' reverse design was used from 1909 until 1958. 1957 was the penultimate year of this iconic design.

Obverse (front)

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln facing right. Legends: 'IN GOD WE TRUST' above, 'LIBERTY' to the left, and the date '1957 D' to the right. Designer: Victor David Brenner.

Reverse (back)

Two wheat stalks framing the words 'ONE CENT' and 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'. Legend 'E PLURIBUS UNUM' at the top. Designer: Victor David Brenner.

Estimated value

$0.02 - $0.10 in circulated condition. This specific coin has significant surface damage/alteration which reduces its collector value to basically copper melt value (approx. 2-3 cents).

What drives this coin's value

Value is determined by grade, amount of original red luster, and mint location. This 1957-D is one of the highest mintage dates in the series, making it extremely common.

Grade assessment

Details Grade - Damaged. While the high points of the design are visible (VF/XF details), the surfaces appear corroded, 'bubbled', or chemically altered, likely from being buried or plated after leaving the mint.

Mintage & rarity

1,051,342,000 (Very Common)

Authenticity & counterfeit red flags

Authentic 1957-D cents are common; however, collectors should beware of coins that have been 'plated' (e.g., in zinc or gold) to look like rare errors. This coin has a suspicious yellowish/brass appearance that suggests post-mint alteration.

Notable varieties & errors

BIE die breaks (a vertical crack between B and E in LIBERTY) and minor doubled dies are known for this year, though none are visible here.

Similar coins

1957 Philadelphia (no mint mark) and the later 1959 Memorial Cent which replaced the wheat stalks with the Lincoln Memorial.

Care & preservation

Store in a PVC-free coin flip or tube. Avoid cleaning or rubbing the surfaces, as this coin already shows signs of environmental exposure or post-mint alteration.

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