1952 Wheat Penny Value: No Mint Mark, D, S and Proof Prices

In this article

Quick answer

Most worn 1952 wheat pennies have only a small collector premium. NGC’s November 7, 2022 Brown guide lists Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco alike at $0.05 in Good and $0.10 in Extremely Fine 40. These are historical retail estimates, not a promise that a dealer will buy individual coins at those amounts.

Uncirculated original-color pieces and Philadelphia Proofs form separate markets. A D below 1952 identifies Denver; it does not by itself make the coin a scarce error. This single year guide includes no-mark, D and S coins.

Coin photos

1952-P cent obverse: read the date and mint letter beneath it.

1952-P cent reverse: wheat ears around ONE CENT.

1952-D cent obverse: read the date and mint letter beneath it.

1952-S cent obverse: read the date and mint letter beneath it.

Basics & coin story

Denver’s recorded output of 746,130,000 cents greatly exceeded the other two mints in 1952. The large production and surviving uncirculated material help explain why an ordinary 1952-D remains accessible.

At the same time, the Philadelphia Proof program supplied collectors with a deliberately different product. That distinction is more useful than treating every wheat reverse as rare. See the Lincoln wheat cent series guide for the design’s wider context.

Identification at a glance
Feature	What to check
Type / denomination	1952 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

Locate D or S below the date

The small obverse letter identifies Denver or San Francisco; Philadelphia circulation cents have no letter. Check the entire 1952 date before comparing prices with neighboring years.

Recognize the short tail of the 5

NGC notes the unusually stubby tail of the 5 on 1952 cents. This normal date feature does not establish a damaged numeral, an overdate or a valuable mint error.

Separate wear, soft detail and spots

Soft detail can come from a worn die, especially on San Francisco coins, while high-point friction is wear. Spotting and staining can reduce appeal even on an unworn cent. Do not remove them with polish.

1952-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
1952 no mark BN	Good	$0.05	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952 no mark BN	Fine	$0.05	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952 no mark BN	Extremely Fine 40	$0.10	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952 no mark BN	MS63	$1.50	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952 no mark BN	MS65	$5	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-D BN	Good	$0.05	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-D BN	Fine	$0.05	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-D BN	Extremely Fine 40	$0.10	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-D BN	MS63	$1.50	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-D BN	MS65	$5	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-S BN	Good	$0.05	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-S BN	Fine	$0.05	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-S BN	Extremely Fine 40	$0.10	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-S BN	MS63	$1.50	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022
1952-S BN	MS65	$5	NGC retail guide	11/07/2022

Use the correct copper-color row

The ordinary BN guide lists MS63 at $1.50 and MS65 at $5 for all three mints, updated November 7, 2022. RD and RB comparisons are separate, and a circulated brown coin should not be valued from a top-grade red sale.

Philadelphia Proofs

The separate Brown Proof guide lists PF63 at $16.50 and PF65 at $32, updated August 31, 2014. These old values need fresh like-for-like market checking. Cameo and Ultra Cameo contrast are separate attributes, not a description of every reflective cent.

Repunched mint marks and damage

Repunched mint marks are documented for D and S issues, but the letter must match a specific recognized die. A normal thick mint mark or a scratch does not establish a variety or an exceptional value.

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

Is a 1952-D wheat penny rare?

An ordinary 1952-D is common. Its Denver mint mark alone does not establish a rare variety.

What is a 1952 penny with no mint mark?

It is normally the Philadelphia circulation issue. The blank area below the date is expected.

Is the short tail on the 1952 numeral 5 an error?

NGC describes that short tail as a normal feature of the date, not an automatic error.

Were 1952 Proof pennies made in San Francisco?

The 1952 Proof cent was a Philadelphia issue. Do not apply the S-mint convention of later Proof programs.

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.