1977 Penny Coin Value (Errors List, “D”, “S” & No Mint Mark Worth)

The 1977 Lincoln Memorial pennies are part of the series produced from 1959 to 2008. These coins are common nowadays, and you can still find some pieces in circulation.

Three US Mints produced them in 1977, including those intended for circulation and proofs. The 1977 penny value usually exceeds its face value with some expensive exceptions.

History of the 1977 Penny

The 1977 Lincoln penny was first released in 1909 to commemorate 100 years of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. US Coin designer and engraver Victor D. Brenner created both the obverse and reverse.

Abraham Lincoln, born in 1809, was the 16th President of the United States. Before becoming President, this respectful man was a lawyer who entered politics early.

His greatest achievement was issuing the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, only three years after being elected President in 1860. It was the first step to the Abolition of Slavery in 1865.

Even though he was reelected again in 1864, his second mandate lasted only a few months before being assassinated in 1865.

It was a great loss for the nation, given that this President did so much for a very short time. Besides slavery abolishment, he established agriculture, the Secret Service, and a national banking system.

The US administration announced a re-design of Lincoln cents reverse side in 1958 while still circulating. This re-designing was organized in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s 150th birthday and lasted until the next time when the US Mint commemorated his 200th birthday in 2009.

The US Mint announced a competition, and 23 designers represented their ideas about the new penny’s reverse. The assistant coin designer Frank Gasparro’s work won, and the new cent got the Lincoln Memorial monument on the reverse.

His intention was to come up with a unique solution and depict a Memorial with Abraham Lincoln between pillars. That way, this coin became the first in American coinage that featured the same person on both sides.

There is one more interesting fact about Lincoln cents. Their obverse design is the longest-running in the history of the US Mint, while reverse designs changed a few times, honoring the beloved President’s jubilee birthdays.

The re-designed pennies appeared in circulation in 1959 and remained the same until 2008. The next year, the Lincoln Bicentennial penny appeared to honor his 200th birthday, followed by the Shield cent introduced in 2010. 

Features of the 1977 Penny

The US Mint produced a high number of 1977 Lincoln pennies, making them common, but some can be very valuable. Despite their lower prices, even low-graded pieces are in demand amongst collectors. They are considered ideal coins to start the collection with.

The obverse of the 1977 Lincoln penny

Victor D. Brenner designed the obverse side of this coin back in 1909. You can see Abraham Lincoln’s bust profile facing left in the center, with IN GOD WE TRUST frame above it.

The word LIBERTY is on the left side behind Lincoln’s back while the production year is struck in front of his chest. You can notice the mint mark below the year if there is one. This coin side also includes the designer’s initials between the rim and Lincoln’s shoulder.

The reverse of the 1977 Lincoln penny

The contemporary look of this coin’s side appeared after Frank Gasparro re-designed it to commemorate 150 years of Lincoln’s birth. The unique thing making this coin stand out from traditional American coinage is the 16th American President sculpture placed inside the Memorial building on the coin reverse.

The E PLURIBUS UNUM phrase is centered just above the Memorial, while the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA positioned along the upper edge frames the central image. Wording ONE CENT is below the Memorial. The rear side also contains Gasparro’s initials placed on the right side of the Memorial.

Other features of the 1977 Lincoln Penny

The 1977 Lincoln’s cent content is a copper alloy with tin or zinc. The high copper content determines its color, and it can be red, brown, or attractively toned as a combination of these two colors.

The penny is a round coin 0.7480 inches (19 mm) in diameter and 0.0598 inches (1.52 mm) thick. It has a plain rim and weighs 0.353 ounces (3.11g).

The 1977 Lincoln Penny Grading

Three 1977 Lincoln penny varieties were minted in Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco, including regular and proof pieces. The grade of these cents depends on their preservation and rarity.

The best-quality cents from Philadelphia are those ranking MS 66, while the highest-ranking 1977 D penny is in MS 68 grade. On the other hand, your goal is to find proof in the PR 70 grade as the best-preserved in the set.

Please check our grading guides to know your coin scale, It’s the necessary step to know the exact value of your coin.

1977 Penny Value Guide

The US Mint minted over eight billion Lincoln pennies in 1977, and most are still available and easily achievable. That makes them an ideal option for beginners. Remember that starting the collection with the 1977 Lincoln penny is quick and effortless, thanks to their availability.

1977 No Mint mark Penny value

The Philadelphia mint produced pennies in very high numbers in 1977, making them common and available. Their face value is $0.01, while their numismatic value varies and depends on each piece’s grade. For instance, pennies ranking from MS 60 to MS 66 come with a bit higher price.

• The MS 60 Lincoln cent value is $0.20
• The MS 61 Lincoln cent value is $0.25
• The MS 62 Lincoln cent value is $0.30
• The MS 63 Lincoln cent value is $0.35
• The MS 64 Lincoln cent value is $0.50
• The MS 65 Lincoln cent value is $1.00
• The MS 66 Lincoln cent value is $24.20

1977 D Penny value

This year, the Denver mint produced 320,866,700 pennies less than the Philadelphia mint, or 4,149,063,300 pieces. Their price varies from $0.25 for the lowest-graded coins to $150 for those with the MS 67 grade.

All pennies with the D mint mark are very common despite the price, but finding those in MS 66 grade is more challenging. Be prepared that the MS 67 grade Memorial cents are scarce. If you want to add one of these specimens to your collection, the prices you should expect are as follows:

• The cost of an MS 61-grade penny is $0.25
• The cost of an MS 62-grade penny is $0.30
• The cost of an MS 63-grade penny is $0.35
• The cost of an MS 64-grade penny is $0.50
• The cost of an MS 65-grade penny is $1
• The cost of an MS 66-grade penny is $40

The 1977 D MS 67 cents are the most expensive, with a regular price of $150. On the other hand, the highest auction price for such a specimen was $423, achieved at Baltimore Auctions.

The jewel among the 1977 D cents is a rare red-toned piece with the MS 68 grade. Its top auction price was $7,050 at Heritage Auctions.

1977 S Penny value

The San Francisco mint issued only proof pennies in 1977. There is a significant price difference between the lowest- and the highest-graded pennies, and you can get approximately:

• $0.18 for the 1977 S PR 61 cent
• $0.18 for the 1977 S PR 62 cent
• $0.18 for the 1977 S PR 63 cent
• $0.25 for the 1977 S PR 64 cent
• $1 for the 1977 S PR 65 cent
• $2.75 for the 1977 S PR 66 cent
• $5 for the 1977 S PR 67 cent
• $7 for the 1977 S PR 68 cent
• $16 for the 1977 S PR 69 cent

The priciest 1977 S penny is in PR 70 rank, and its usual price is about $1,000. However, its auction price can be several times higher. For instance, one of these proofs was sold for a remarkable $7,050 at Heritage Auctions.

Rare 1977 Penny Error List

Errors in the penny series are common and can create a few desirable and collectible varieties. Such coins often reach higher prices than regular ones. Let’s check the most collectible.

Double-punched mint mark

Minting in 1977 meant manual mint mark punching that gave room for mistakes. The mint mark sometimes ended up in the wrong place on the coin surface or was struck upside down. The employees re-punched the mint mark in these situations, leaving doubled-struck error coins. These pennies are collectible, priced between $3 and $15.

BIE

You can recognize this error by a more or less raised line between the letters B and E in LIBERTY, reminding the capital I. The BIE error is distinctive for Lincoln pennies, including those minted in 1977. Such pieces typically cost $5 to $10.

Lincoln cent struck on a dime planchet

This error occurred when a cent was struck on a dime planchet. In such a case, the wrong planchet got stuck in a machine set to a precise coin thickness, leaving the error coin.

Lincoln cent struck over a Roosevelt dime

This double-minted cent has both Presidents on the obverse, but Roosevelt’s bust is upside-down. You can notice the 1977 year was struck twice but at an angle. Basically, both images and letterings end up in a strange position.

Off-center

This error happened when strikes on the planchet were not precise enough. The result was a penny with one edge side wider than the other. Depending on how off-center the strike is, parts of the image or the lettering can be left out, and such coins cost differently.

Where to Sell Your 1977 Lincoln Penny ?

Now that you know the value of your coins, do you know where to sell those coins online easily? Don’t worry, I’ve compiled a list of these sites, including their introduction, pros, and cons.

FAQ about the 1977 Lincoln Penny

What makes a 1977 Lincoln Penny rare?

There are no rare or in-demand Lincoln pennies from 1977. Their mintage was high, making them quite available. Only proof coins at a high grade are rarer on the market. Since only 59 of the 5,534 survived 1977 S DCAM pennies are in the PR 70 grade, you can expect them to be costly.

Which 1977 Lincoln Penny won an auction record?

• The 1977 S PR 70 DCAM cent sold for $7,050 on July 11, 2013
• The 1977 D MS 68 RD cent sold for $7,050 on April 2, 2016
• The 1977 MS 66 RD cent sold for $2,645 on July 27, 2008
• The 1977 MS 62 BN cent sold for $475 on April 11, 2018
• The 1977 S PR 69 RD cent sold for $125 on April 24, 2021
• The 1977 D MS 65 BN cent sold for $72 on March 18, 2021
• The 1977 D MS 66 RB cent sold for $55 on August 1, 2021
• The 1977 S DCAM Joe Orlando Signature cent sold for $40 on January 12, 2022
• The 1977 S PR 69 DCAM Thomas Cleveland MSS sold for $30 on February 28, 2022
• The 1977 MS 65 RB cent sold for $20 on March 17, 2018

How much money for the 1977 No Mint mark Memorial Penny?

The 1977 pennies minted in Philadelphia in circulated condition have prices slightly above their face value. You can expect to pay $0.20 to $24.20 for uncirculated ones, while pieces spending years in circulation are typically worth about $0.10.

What are the priciest Lincoln Penny?

The Lincoln pennies series contains four sets with different coin reverse. The most collectible are Wheat and Memorial versions, and they include the most expensive specimens.

• $840,000 for the 1943 D MS 64 BN bronze wrong planchet error penny in 2021
• $504,000 for the 1943 S MS 63 BN bronze penny in 2022
• $408,000 for the 1944 S MS 66 steel penny in 2021
• $138,000 for the 1999 MS 66 Die error cent in 2006
• $126,500 for the 1969 S MS 64 DDO cent in 2008
• $48,300 for the 1959 D MS 60 cent in 2003