1917 Penny Value: No Mint Mark, D, S and the Doubled Die

In this article

Quick answer

A 1917 penny needs a mint-and-grade comparison before a price. NGC’s Brown guides list Good at $0.50 for Philadelphia (August 24, 2023) and $2.50 each for D and S (August 26, 2023). Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco circulation cents have different Brown guide rows below. Ordinary pieces must not be valued from sales of the recognized Philadelphia doubled-die obverse.

The important specialist exception is the attributed 1917 Doubled Die Obverse, including FS-101. PCGS identifies doubling on the date and motto; a vague thick edge, damage or machine doubling does not establish the variety. There was no regular 1917 Proof cent issue.

Coin photos

1917-P cent obverse: read the date and mint letter beneath it.

1917-P cent reverse: wheat ears around ONE CENT.

1917-D cent obverse: read the date and mint letter beneath it.

1917-S cent obverse: read the date and mint letter beneath it.

Basics & coin story

1917 belongs to the First World War period of growing coin production. Philadelphia’s recorded circulation mintage reached 196,429,785, while Denver and San Francisco supplied their own branch-mint issues.

High output did not guarantee equally sharp strikes or equal survival in original red condition. The date therefore rewards checking mint, wear and die variety separately. Start with the wheat cent series guide for the common design.

Identification at a glance
Feature	What to check
Type / denomination	1917 Lincoln wheat cent / one cent
Designer	Victor David Brenner
Standard alloy	95% copper; 5% tin and zinc (bronze)
Nominal weight / diameter	3.11 g / 19 mm
Edge	Plain
Mint-mark position	Obverse below the date

Identification

Read the mint beneath 1917

No letter is Philadelphia, D is Denver and S is San Francisco. Inspect the last digit carefully and photograph the mint letter in focus before comparing it with other early wheat-cent dates.

Use the date and motto for the doubled-die check

PCGS’s recognized DDO entry highlights the date and motto. Match raised separation and the full attribution, not just one unusual numeral. The ordinary mint photos here are identification references, not images of FS-101.

Do not confuse weak strike with circulation

Some branch-mint pieces have incomplete detail from manufacture. Look for friction and remaining luster as well as sharpness; a soft reverse alone is not enough to decide a numerical grade.

1917-D obverse detail: the small D sits below the date; normal placement is not an RPM attribution.

Condition & value

Amounts are in U.S. dollars. The final column gives each source row’s update date (month/day/year), separate from the access date of November 13, 2026. Published guides are reference estimates, not guaranteed buying offers or seller net proceeds. Obtain recent like-for-like completed comparisons for an actual transaction.

MS means Mint State. The ordinary table uses Brown (BN) copper entries; Red-Brown (RB), Red (RD), Proofs and attributed varieties are separate.

Ordinary-issue comparisons: match mint, condition and source date
Issue	Grade / condition	USD reference	Basis	Source updated
1917 no mark BN	Good	$0.50	NGC retail guide	08/24/2023
1917 no mark BN	Fine	$1.50	NGC retail guide	08/24/2023
1917 no mark BN	Extremely Fine 40	$10	NGC retail guide	08/24/2023
1917 no mark BN	MS63	$55	NGC retail guide	08/24/2023
1917 no mark BN	MS65	$200	NGC retail guide	08/24/2023
1917-D BN	Good	$2.50	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-D BN	Fine	$8.50	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-D BN	Extremely Fine 40	$40	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-D BN	MS63	$150	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-D BN	MS65	$500	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-S BN	Good	$2.50	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-S BN	Fine	$8	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-S BN	Extremely Fine 40	$25	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-S BN	MS63	$200	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023
1917-S BN	MS65	$800	NGC retail guide	08/26/2023

Ordinary coins by mint and condition

Use the BN table for the specific mint and grade. Original red survival is a separate issue from total production, and cleaned or corroded coins should not be assumed to bring straight-grade guide values.

The attributed doubled die has its own market

PCGS lists a $8,400 auction record for an MS63BN 1917 Doubled Die Obverse, sold March 29, 2023 through Stack’s Bowers. That is a dated individual variety sale, not an ordinary 1917 penny estimate or a current offer.

No regular Proof row

Do not infer a 1917 Proof from strong detail or gloss. A claimed special strike requires specialist evidence. Ordinary Red, Red-Brown and Brown Mint State coins also need their own comparisons rather than a shared headline price.

Photograph both faces under even light and record the visible date and mint mark. HeriBase can help organize an initial photo-based identification; verify important mint, finish and variety details against the references before using a price. An app result is not a certified grade, authentication or purchase offer.

Summary

FAQ

What makes the 1917 doubled-die penny different?

The recognized obverse variety shows doubling at the date and motto. A specific attribution is necessary before using its prices.

Is every 1917 penny valuable?

No. Ordinary coins, branch-mint issues and attributed doubled dies have different markets, and condition matters.

Was there a regular 1917 Proof penny?

No regular Proof cent issue is listed for 1917. Shine does not establish a special strike.

Where is the 1917 penny mint mark?

D or S is below the date on the obverse. Philadelphia has no mint letter.

References

References and further reading

References accessed November 13, 2026. Guide update dates, source publication dates and sale dates are distinct. No independent examination or current buying offer for a reader’s coin is implied.