1984 Penny Coin Value: How Much Is It Worth?
Lincoln pennies are common and inexpensive coins often seen in circulation that are typically uninteresting for serious collectors. Moreover, those minted in 1984 are among the most frequently encountered you can find.
Only beautifully toned pieces and those with rare errors can be worth something. That makes estimating the 1984 Penny value a job for professionals. The other option is to check your coin in detail to discover potentially pricey specimens.
1984 penny value chart |
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| Condition | 1984 No Mint mark penny | 1984 D penny | 1984 S penny |
| Mint state 65 | $0.33 | $0.33 | / |
| Proof 65 | / | / | $4.52 |
1984 Penny Value Guides
Even though three mints struck 13,723,383,016 Lincoln pennies in 1984, only those in Philadelphia and Denver minted coins from the regular strike. Thanks to high mintage, most of these pennies are abundant on the current coin market, and you can buy them for less than a dollar.
The San Francisco mint produced only proof coins this year. However, even their value is not particularly high despite their relatively low mintage of 3,065,110 pieces.
1984 No Mint Mark Penny Value
Most people consider 1984 Lincoln pennies worthless since it is a modern and widely spread coin. However, only those from circulation cost $0.01, while the price of pieces in the mint state is significantly higher than the face value struck on the reverse.
The Philadelphia mint produced 8,151,079,000 pennies in 1984. You should pay $0.20 to $17 for excellently preserved pieces, but those in the highest grades are even more pricey and typically worth about $60.
1984 Lincoln penny value |
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| Condition | 1984 No Mint mark RD penny | 1984 D RD penny |
| MS 60 | $0.20 | $0.10 |
| MS 61 | $0.25 | $0.12 |
| MS 62 | $0.30 | $0.15 |
| MS 63 | $0.35 | $0.20 |
| MS 64 | $0.50 | $0.30 |
| MS 65 | $1 | $0.40 |
| MS 66 | $5 | $3.75 |
| MS 67 | $17 | $18 |
| MS 68 | $60 | $160 |
As always, collectors are prepared to pay more for unique pieces. For instance, the beautiful 1984 MS 69 RD Lincoln penny was sold at Bowers & Merena auction for $5,750 in 2010.
The 1984 MS 65 BN Lincoln penny was worth less, and one collector paid $2,760 for it in 2003 at the same auction.
The 1984 MS 63 RB Lincoln penny was the least expensive since it reached only $201 at Heritage Auctions in 2003. However, it is still a pretty high price for a one-cent coin, isn’t it?
1984 D Penny Value
You can buy most of the surviving Lincoln pennies of 5,569,238,906 produced in the Denver mint in 1984 for $0.10 to $18. Only those in the MS 68 grade are worth about $160. However, some rare, beautifully toned specimens can be costly.
Coins with beautiful red toning are the most collectible, so it is not surprising that one collector set aside $4,025 for the 1984 D MS 68 RD Lincoln penny in 2008 at Heritage Auctions.
On the other hand, coins with less attractive toning reached lower prices. One 1984 MS 60 Lincoln brown penny won an auction record. One collector paid $47 for it at in 2009 Heritage Auctions. Despite its better condition, the most pricey red-brown piece was paid a modest $20 on eBay in 2021.
1984 S proof Penny Value
The San Francisco mint didn’t produce regular Lincoln pennies in 1984 but was assigned to strike 3,065,110 proof coins.
1984 proof Lincoln penny value |
|
| Condition | 1984 S RD DCAM proof penny |
| PR 60 | $0.20 |
| PR 61 | $0.20 |
| PR 62 | $0.20 |
| PR 63 | $0.20 |
| PR 64 | $0.25 |
| PR 65 | $1 |
| PR 66 | $2.50 |
| PR 67 | $3 |
| PR 68 | $4 |
| PR 69 | $5 |
| PR 70 | $150 |
Most of these pieces have a value of $0.18 to $5, but rare coins in perfect condition can reach the price of $150. One 1984 S PR 70 DCAM Lincoln penny won the auction record in 2002. It was sold at Heritage Auctions for an impressive $1,380.
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1984 Penny Errors
Doubled Die Ear
The 1984 Lincoln penny has one recognizable and valuable imperfection. Coins with a Doubled Die Ear error on the obverse have a visible doubling on Abraham Lincoln’s ear.
These coins are rare, particularly those struck in the Philadelphia mint. Most collectors are prepared to set aside a few hundred dollars for this scarce piece, provided it is well preserved.
Besides the President’s ear, you can find coins with a doubling on his beard or a bowtie. About 2,000 of these pennies are officially graded, and most are with MS 65 rating. They are typically worth $225, but you can expect those in high grades to be more pricey.
1984 Lincoln penny value |
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| Condition | 1984 BN penny with a double ear error | 1984 RB penny with a double ear error | 1985 RD penny with a double ear error |
| MS 60 | $100 | $120 | $120 |
| MS 61 | $100 | $130 | $130 |
| MS 62 | $105 | $135 | $135 |
| MS 63 | $110 | $145 | $155 |
| MS 64 | $120 | $150 | $165 |
| MS 65 | $130 | $160 | $175 |
| MS 66 | $140 | $180 | $275 |
| MS 67 | $200 | $240 | $450 |
| MS 68 | / | / | $1,400 |
*by Greysheet
The most expensive is the 1984 DDO MS 68 RD Lincoln penny, paid $3,910 at Heritage Auctions in 2009. However, you can find some other coins for relatively high prices.
For instance, the 1984 DDO MS 68 BN Lincoln penny won an auction record in its category after one collector paid $904 for it in 2020 at Heritage Auctions. The one in MS 66 grade with attractive red-brown toning was sold for $403 at a David Lawrence RC auction in 2009.
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History of 1984 Lincoln Penny
Before these pennies, Americans believed using someone’s image on a circulating coin was tasteless. Therefore, they put a fictional Lady Liberty character as a symbol instead of a genuine human.
However, President Abraham Lincoln was a unique and iconic leader in the US because of his terrible fate. It seemed that only one step was needed to make him the first man on the American coinage. That moment appeared when President Roosevelt saw Lincoln’s bronze plaque.
The sculptor Victor D. Brenner got the demanding job of designing a penny, and it took several changes before reaching a satisfying result. The minting started in 1909, and experts agree that this coin was among the last withstanding designs in the US Mint history.
The coin’s obverse stayed the same throughout the years, but the reverse was changed a few times to honor the 100th and 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s birthday.
1984 Lincoln penny |
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| Location | Year | Minted |
| Philadelphia | 1984 no mint mark penny | 8,151,079,000 |
| Denver | 1984 D penny | 5,569,238,906 |
| San Francisco | 1984 S proof penny | 3,065,110 |
| Total | / | 13,723,383,016 |
The Lincoln Memorial penny was a version struck from 1959 to 2008 when the US Mint started with four special anniversary Lincoln wheat penny editions. Besides its low value, this cent has become one of the most recognizable coins worldwide.
The American law against melting copper coins is probably the primary reason this technically obsolete series still exists. It is estimated that billions of Lincoln pennies are still in circulation, or people save them while expecting the law to change.
The Lincoln wheat and the Lincoln Memorial penny are highly collectible pieces despite their high mintage. On several occasions, it happened that collectors set aside thousands of dollars for some of the perfectly preserved specimens.
The famous 1984 Doubled Die Ear Lincoln penny is undoubtedly the most appreciated coin struck that year. This rare error often brings hundreds of dollars to those happy enough to find them.
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how to identify 1984 Penny?
The 1984 Lincoln Memorial penny contains 97.5% zinc, like other cents from the series the US Mint started producing in 1982. Thanks to Brenner and Gasparro and their beautiful designs, it is one of the most recognizable American coins ever.
The obverse was never changed, probably because of political reasons or because Lincoln is still one of the most respectful American Presidents in history. On the other hand, changing the reverse and adding the Lincoln Memorial was an excellent way to symbolically commemorate the 150th anniversary of his birth.
The obverse of the 1984 Lincoln penny
Medalist, sculptor, and engraver Victor D. Brenner created the 1984 Lincoln penny’s obverse with a central positioned Lincoln bust facing right. The American motto IN GOD WE TRUST is struck above his head, along the top rim.
The space between the bust and the coin edge is filled with the word LIBERTY on the left side and the date, 1984, struck on the right. Coins minted in the Denver and San Francisco mints also have the small D or S mint mark below the date.
The reverse of the 1984 Lincoln penny
Frank Gasparro was the 10th Chief Engraver of the US Mint. He came up with the beautiful 1984 Lincoln penny reverse design that included Lincoln Memorial with a tiny President’s statue between pillars. You can also notice the small designer’s initials on the right side.
The country name, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, was struck above the centered Lincoln memorial building, with the Latin phrase E PLURIBUS UNUM in between. The denomination ONE CENT dominates on the coin’s bottom rim.
1984 Lincoln penny |
|
| Face value | 1 cent (0.01 $) |
| Compound | 97.5% zinc plus 2.5% copper |
| Coin diameter | 0.74803 inches (19 mm) |
| Coin weight | 0.08818 ounces (2.5 g) |
| Coin thickness | 0.05984 inches (1.52 mm) |
| Edge | Plain |
| Shape | Round |
Other features of the 1984 Lincoln penny
The 1984 Lincoln penny is a coin made of copper-nickel alloy with a face value of one cent. It was the third year of minting this coin type of zinc with only 2.5% copper. The reason for this decision was this metal’s high price.
Namely, the copper price exceeded the coin’s face value in one moment. Therefore, changing its composition was the only way to make coin production still economically viable.
This round coin with a plain edge weighs 0.08818 ounces (2.5 g). It is typically 0.05984 inches (1.52 mm) thick and has a diameter of 0.74803 inches (19 mm).
What makes a 1984 penny rare?
The 1984 Doubled Die Ear Lincoln penny is a rare and recognizable error, typical only for this coin. The particularly scarce are pieces struck in Philadelphia with a visible doubling on Abraham Lincoln’s ear. Specimens with beautiful red toning in the mint state can be expensive and are often worth over $1,000.
Which 1984 Lincoln penny is worth a lot of money?
- 1984 No Mint mark RD MS 69 Lincoln penny that was paid $5,750 at Bowers & Merena auction in 2010
- 1984 D RD MS 68 Lincoln penny that was paid $4,025 at Heritage Auctions in 2008
- 1984 DDO RD MS 68 Lincoln penny that was paid $3,910 at Heritage Auctions in 2009
- 1984 No Mint mark BN MS 65 Lincoln penny that was paid $2,760 at Bowers & Merena auction in 2003
- 1984 S PR 70 DCAM Lincoln penny that was paid $1,380 at Heritage Auctions in 2002
- 1984 DDO BN MS 68 Lincoln penny that was paid $904 at Heritage Auctions in 2020
- 1984 DDO RB MS 66 Lincoln penny that was paid $403 at David Lawrence RC in 2009
- 1984 No Mint mark RB MS 63 Lincoln penny that was paid $201 at Heritage Auctions in 2003
- 1984 D BN MS 60 Lincoln penny that was paid $47 at Heritage Auctions in 2009
- 1984 D RB MS 63 Lincoln penny that was paid $20 on eBay in 2021
What is the 1984 No Mint mark Lincoln penny price?
In most cases, you can buy the 1984 No Mint mark Lincoln penny for $0.20 to $0.50. Some pieces can be worth up to $20, but top-quality high-class specimens can reach approximately $60.
What is the rarest Lincoln penny?
The rarest Lincoln penny ever is the one minted in 1909. It reached an insanely high price of $365,000 at a Great Collections auction. As for the Lincoln Memorial penny, the rarest is the 1969 S DDO coin in the mint state. It was sold for over $80,000 in 2012.