What is the value of a 1917 US cent?

Answer 1

Look on the front of the coin to see if there's a small mint mark letter below the date. It may be blank or there may be a D or S.

Numismedia lists the following approximate retail values as of 03/2010:

No mint mark (Philadelphia):

Very worn condition - $0.14

Moderately worn - $0.29

Slightly worn - $1.50

Almost no wear - $10.50

Uncirculated - $15.60 to $104.00 depending on quality

"D" mint mark (Denver):

Very worn condition - $0.46

Moderately worn - $1.38

Slightly worn - $4.20

Almost no wear - $350

Uncirculated - $61.20 to $273.00

"S" mint mark (San Francisco):

Moderately worn - $0.63

Slightly worn - $0.98

Almost no wear - $22.60

Uncirculated - $48.00 to $624.00

There were 196,429,785 coins minted at the Philadelphia mint in 1917. Since the mint mark is below the date, you would have seen one if there was one and stated so. So it is not a rare coin. In grade good it is worth .10 and up the scale to extremely fine it is worth $3.00. It is not really valuable, but is a collectors item. Now there is a variety of this date 1917, that is a doubled die. It is worth some bucks depending on grade. Your chances of having one is slim, but not impossible. Look at the date with a 10x magnifier if it has a doubled date or there are lines on the date you have a winner, but only if you take it to a coin dealer to have it authenticated by a grading service, this will cost you, so see what the dealer has to say first. He should have a microscope and can tell, if it is worth sending in.