How Much Is a 2009 Penny Worth?

The Year 2009 – A Turning Point for the Penny

Historical Context

There are turning points or dates in numismatics, and this year was the new starting point for the 2009 one cent penny release. And although the coin is known in wide circles since 1909, 2009 became not just the date of the next issue, but a real cultural event – so called 2009 birth penny issue.

It was exactly 200 years since the birth of Abraham Lincoln – and in honor of this date U.S. Mint implemented an ambitious program – issue of 2009 Lincoln bicentennial penny, presenting the world four new 2009 penny designs, each representing the stages of life of the 16th president of the United States.

It was then that the familiar 2009 Lincoln memorial penny temporarily receded into the background. In its place, the ones came into circulation:

• 2009 penny with cabin on back
• 2009 penny with man on back, sitting on log
• 2009 penny with man standing on back
• 2009 penny with unfinished Capitol

Each of these types were produced at the Philadelphia and Denver mints, as well as in collector sets. But as we know, the world of numismatics is imperfect, so soon there were queries like “error valuable error 2009 penny” and “2009 penny with man sitting on log error” and even lists like “2009 d penny error list”, where rare minting defects were recorded.

What Made the Lincoln Penny 2009 Special

In fact, there are several reasons why these coins have earned a special place in collections:

• uniqueness and high historical 2009 bicentennial penny value;
• attention from collectors and investors;
• a large number of small and rare errors;
• non-standard materials: copper, zinc and even rare 2009 special penny are found;
• new designs (e.g. 2009 penny formative years or 2009 penny with log cabin) interesting to study and add to the collection.

The appearance of these coins explained a new interest in cent coins in the USA and beyond. Thus, it is not surprising that many people today are looking for how much is a 2009 penny worth, as well as wondering on error valuable 2009 penny with man sitting on log value. 

But the answer is not always obvious, because a lot depends on the metal, condition, mintage and the presence of scrap. That is why we offer to discuss each coin in more detail.

2009 Penny Value: Major Price Differences

Is a 2009 penny worth anything? If you’re not new to numismatics, you know that the value of a coin depends on several factors: condition, historical significance, minting characteristics, etc.

But before we talk about erroneous and especially valuable coins, it’s worth looking at the summary range of 2009 Lincoln penny value for all four designs.

Estimated Value Chart

Coin	Mint	Grade	Estimated Value (USD)
Coin with cabin (Birth and Childhood)	P	MS65	$12 – $18
		MS67	$150 – $200
	D	MS65	$10 – $15
		MS67	$120 – $150
	S	PR69	$14 – $18
		PR70	$130 – $150
Coin mentioning formative Years (Man Sitting)	P	MS65	$10 – $15
		MS67	$130 – $160
	D	MS65	$5 – $10
		MS67	$20 – $45
	S	PR69	$14 – $18
		PR70	$130 – $150
Coin showing professional life (Man Standing)	P	MS65	$12 – $18
		MS67	$100 – $140
	D	MS65	$12 – $15
		MS67	$120 – $180
	S	PR69	$14 – $18
		PR70	$125 – $140
Coin demonstrating presidential time (Capitol)	P	MS65	$12 – $15
		MS67	$130 – $170
	D	MS65	$12 – $15
		MS67	$120 – $150
	S	PR69	$14 – $18
		PR70	$130 – $145

*Prices are approximate, value may vary depending on demand, rarity of errors, surface type (red / red brown / brown) and exact condition of the coin.

Error Examples:
Valuable 2009 Penny Value Chart

Despite their relatively young age, the 2009 cents showing the life of Abraham Lincoln are already surprising collectors with a number of interesting and valuable varieties. The minting errors found in these coins can significantly increase their market value. Below is a table with the main types of errors, their characteristics and approximate prices.

Error	Coin	Explanation of the error	Rarity	Estimated Value (USD)
Off-Center Strike	2009 Lincoln penny no mint mark “Professional Life”	Strike displacement of approximately 30%: part of the design (date, letters) is cut off at the edge	Very rare	$812 (eBay, 2021)
Feeder Finger Error	2009 (Philadelphia) “Professional Life”	Linear “tile” marks from the feed mechanism between the planchet and the die.	Rare	$710 (Great Collections, 2020)
Broad-Struck Strike	2009 penny D “Presidency”	The planchet has gone beyond the retaining rim: the diameter is enlarged, the rim is thinned.	Rare	$650 (Heritage Auctions, 2020)
Die Crack	2009-P “Birth & Early Childhood”	Thin raised lines on the obverse (especially around Lincoln’s head) as a result of microcracks in the postmark.	Moderate	$630 (Great Collections, 2020)
Misaligned Die	2009-D “Presidency”	Obverse and reverse were out of alignment: the design on one side was rotated relative to the other.	Rare	$620 (eBay, 2019)

Other error coins also exist and are graded more modestly but are still interesting to collectors. Among them:

• Doubled die obverse or reverse – noticeable doubling of the lines on both sides of the coins
• Die gouge – depressed or raised grooves from a damaged stamp.
• Clashed die – transfer of the obverse pattern to the reverse and vice versa
• Lamination crack – delamination of the workpiece surface

Additional Tool for Any Coin

By the way, did you know that many people search for 2009 e pluribus unum penny and how much e pluribus unum penny 2009 worth, but no such type of error was reported.

To quickly identify even small imperfections and determine the 2009 penny no mint mark value (and the value of other coins in the series), we recommend using the Coin ID Scanner app – it helps you identify scrapes, estimate rarity and find historical backgrades and other necessary information without extra effort. All you need to do is make a couple of clicks:

1. Take a photo of the coin. Open the app and take a picture of the obverse and reverse in good light or upload a ready photo from the gallery.
2. Wait for the results of automatic image analysis. The app has an extensive database (more than 150,000 coins including rare, foreign, old, jubilee variants, etc.).
3. Once the analysis is complete you will see all the necessary information on the screen: coin details, design features, historical information, degree of rarity and current estimated value of the coin.

Benefits of using it:

• Speed and accuracy – instead of hours of studying forums and catalogs, you get results in a couple of seconds.
• Convenience – a full “portfolio” of coins is always at hand in your smartphone.
• Reliability – data is relevant and taken from trusted sources.
• Learning – built-in tips, and blog articles to help you better understand the intricacies of grading and scrap types.
• Savings – no more paying for expensive certification for an initial assessment: it’s the perfect tool for quick market orientation.

The 2009 bicentennial cents deserve attention: four unique designs and a variety of printing errors turn them from ordinary change into a sought-after collector’s item. Even the smallest error on a stamp can increase their value significantly, so arm yourself with patience, a magnifying glass, download the app and carefully examine every coin you own.