Wheat cents are the Lincoln pennies with two stalks on the back
Sort a penny jar by the reverse. Wheat ears mean 1909 through 1958. The Memorial building is a later series. 1943 is the steel year.
Dump the jar onto a cloth and sort by the back, not by how old the pile feels. Two wheat stalks mean a Lincoln Wheat cent, 1909 through 1958. A building on the back is a Lincoln Memorial cent. Same portrait, later reverse, its own page. The U.S. Mint's penny page spells out that split: wheat ears from 1909 to 1958, then Frank Gasparro's Memorial in 1959. The Mint's history timeline marks 1909 as the first circulating coin to show a president.
The one year a magnet matters
Most Wheat cents are a copper alloy. 1943 circulating cents are zinc-coated steel. Numista's bronze Wheat page and steel Wheat page are the two planchets. A steel cent that rusted is damaged. A copper-plated steel cent can fool a glance. A magnet is a clue, not a certificate.
A 1943 cent that is actually copper is the wrong-planchet conversation on the series page. Do not price it from a forum title, and do not clean it to "prove" the color.
Initials, mint marks, and color
Victor David Brenner designed the coin. On some 1909 pieces his V.D.B. initials sit between the wheat ears. The Mint pulled that prominent signature, then put smaller initials on Lincoln's shoulder in 1918. A plain 1909 V.D.B. and a 1909-S V.D.B. are not the same hunt. A D or an S is under the date. Philadelphia Wheat cents are unmarked.
Brown, red-brown, and red are copper color labels. They are not a second grade. Carbon spots and a damp album page do more harm than a dull color.
The cent this design replaced is the Indian Head. If the jar is mixed with those, keep them in a separate pile. When you want a person to look, use the dealer directory.
People Also Ask
How do I tell a wheat cent from a later Lincoln penny?
Flip it. Two wheat ears mean 1909 through 1958. The Lincoln Memorial on the back is 1959 through 2008, and that design has its own series page.
Why do some 1943 cents stick to a magnet?
Circulating cents that year were zinc-coated steel, not the usual copper alloy. A magnet is a clue. It is not a certificate, and rust or a copper plating does not turn one into a different coin.
Where are the V.D.B. initials?
On some 1909 coins they sit on the reverse, between the wheat ears. Later the initials come back smaller, on Lincoln's shoulder. A 1909 with initials and no mint mark is not the same coin as a 1909-S with initials.
Does a red wheat cent have a higher grade number?
No. BN, RB, and RD are copper color calls on uncirculated cents. They describe remaining original color. They are not an extra grade on top of the Sheldon number.