1964 Penny Value – A Complete Guide

The 1964 penny is one of the rare coins in United States history. It was minted when the U.S. economy was in a recession, and many people were out of work. This penny is a vintage coin, and many people are interested in collecting it due to its rarity and historical value. Uncirculated or “mint condition” 1964 Pennies are worth around $1 to $2, while circulated examples are worth around $0.01 or less.

A 1964 D penny is worth between 2 USD and 5,000 USD. The condition, patina, and grade of a coin make it a sought-after commodity by coin collectors.

A single 1964 D penny can fetch more than $10,000 at auction. According to PCGS, a coin classified as MS68 SMS is worth a staggering $27,500.

This article will discuss the factors determining the intrinsic and market value of this piece of U.S. history. You’ll learn everything you need to know about the 1964 penny, from how it was made to how coins are graded today so that you can collect or invest in it confidently.

Related: Pennies Worth Money: Discover the Hidden Fortune in Your Pocket

Why Is a 1964 Penny Rare?

A 1964 D penny is rare for a variety of reasons. First, the Denver Mint did not produce as many pennies in 1964 as it did in other years.  The rest of the coins were produced in Philadelphia when production resumed in 1965. 

Second, many 1964 D pennies were used in circulation and thus were lost or damaged over time. Third, collectors tend to prize 1964 D pennies because they were made with a significant amount of silver. Finally, some believe that a government conspiracy led to the destruction of many 1964 D pennies, making them even rarer.

How Can You Tell if a Penny Is 1964 SMS?

A 1964 SMS coin has an exceptional finish. The coins are pretty and smooth, with a satin-like finish. They are well-struck and clean on the field, without any significant flaws or scratches.

Additionally, the edges of the coins are sharp and square. The coin fails to reflect its image in light, and the other coins produced that year.

Related: 1964 Quarter Value – Mints, Errors, And Worth

What Is the 1964 D Penny Error?

The 1964 D penny error is among the most famous and valuable coin errors. The error on the coin occurred when the “D” mint mark on the pennies was placed upside down.

This results in the coin having two sides, one with the standard head side up and the other with the head side up and the “D” mint mark upside down.

This error is thought to have occurred because of a die clash. A “die clash” occurs when two metal dies come into contact with each other while being used to strike coins. When this happens, it can leave an impression of the design from one die to the other.

In this case, it is believed that the creation of the “D” mint mark was somehow transferred onto the obverse die (the die that has the head side), which caused it to be imprinted upside down on some of the coins that were struck with that die.

If you have one of these coins, it could be worth a lot of money!

Related: The 1959 Penny Value in 2023

How Much Is a 1964 Circulated Penny Worth?

A circulated 1964 penny is worth between 2 and 60 cents, depending on its condition and where it was minted. A coin in poor condition is worth around 2 cents, while a coin in good condition is worth approximately 60 cents. Most of the time, coins made in Philadelphia are more valuable than those made in Denver or San Francisco.

Related: 1909 S VDB Penny Value

1964 Penny Value D

About 3,799,071,500 1964 Penny Value D coins bearing the 1964 minting date were produced. All the coins were made in 1964 and 1965 and stamped with the 1964 date. A 1964 D in MS-67 R.D. was sold for $456. On the other hand, a PCGS graded 3 in MS-67 sold for $4,750. One coin, in particular, was sold for $7,900.

This particular coin was minted in Denver and has a “D” mint mark on the obverse side. The obverse also features the image of President Abraham Lincoln. The reverse side of the coin has the words “One Cent” and “United States of America,” as well as the year “1964”.

Due to its age and condition, the coin is highly sought after by collectors. A 1964 Penny Value D in pristine condition can be worth a great deal of money. However, even a circulated coin can be worth a few dollars. If you are lucky enough to have one of these coins, then you should definitely get it appraised so that you know its true value.

Related: Dimes Worth Money – The Small Coins with Big Value

1964 Penny Error

When you come across a 1964 penny for the first time, if it’s damaged, it would be difficult to tell if it was crushed on a railway line or if the damage occurred at the mint.

Either way, coins with errors are rare and valuable, making them the most sought-after treasures by coin collectors. A simple 1-cent coin could fetch thousands of dollars. Let’s find out some of the coin errors and how they happened.

• 1964 Penny D/D RPM Error

The 1964 Penny D/D RPM Error is a well-known coin mistake that happened when the reverse die, which is used to strike the tail side of the coin, turned 180 degrees before hitting a blank planchet.

This results in the obverse and reverse designs being struck upside down concerning each other.

The D/D RPM Error is one of the rarest and most valuable coin mistakes that collectors look for. A single example was sold at auction for over $200,000 in 2019! The mistake is thought to have happened briefly at the Denver Mint in 1964, but only a few known examples exist. 

The coin is also known for its very high relief, resulting from a mistake made when it was made. As a result of this error, the coins have a higher value. If you find a 1964 penny with this mistake, ensure a reputable coin dealer or a third-party grading service has verified it.

• 1964 Penny Struck Over a 1963 Penny

A 1963 Penny is considered one of U.S. coinage history’s most famous and valuable errors. The United States Mint struck the coin in 1964, but it was struck over a 1963 penny due to a mistake. As a result, the image of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse (front) of the coin is doubled.

This error was not discovered until 1965, when a sharp-eyed collector noticed something was off about his newly minted penny. When he looked closer, he realized that the date on his coin was double-struck—a sporadic minting error.

The value of the 1964 penny struck over a 1963 penny depends on its condition and how well it has been preserved. A coin in perfect condition could be worth more than $100,000, while one that has been used a lot might be worth around $10,000.

• 1964 Penny Struck Over a 1951 Penny

In 1964, the United States Mint produced copper-alloy pennies. A small number of these pennies were mistakenly struck using leftover 1951 die blanks. These so-called “error coins” are highly prized by collectors and can be worth thousands of dollars.

A coin with this type of error has a faded 1951 D on the observed upper left area and a faded Liberty on the right side. The most famous example is a penny sold at auction for $20,700 in 2012. The coin was graded in mint condition, making it even more valuable.

• 1964 Off-Centre Penny Error

The 1964 Off-Center Penny Error occurred when the coin was struck off-center, resulting in the design being shifted to one side. The coins with these errors have Lincoln’s forehead, chest, nose, chin mint date, and the symbolic D mint mark.

The error is most commonly found on Lincoln cents minted in 1964, although a few examples have also been found on other denominations.

Most mistakes have been found on 1964 Lincoln cents, but a few have also been found on other denominations.

Because of how they are struck, clipped planchet errors are usually much smaller than those on a regular coin and have irregular edges. They are also scarce, with only a handful of examples known to exist.

For these reasons, the 1964 Penny Clipped Planchet Error is one of the most valuable and coveted errors in all of numismatics.

• 1964 Penny Struck on a Clad Dime Planchet

A few 1964 pennies were accidentally struck on a clad dime planchet and have the obverse die of a 1964 penny and the reverse die of a clad dime. As a result, these coins have the same diameter as a penny but are slightly thicker and heavier than a regular penny.

1964 No Mint Penny Value

The Philadelphia Mint produced 2,451,945,000 (P) No Mint mark pennies dated 1964, of which billions were made in 1965. Additionally, the company minted 3,950,762 proof coins.

These coins bear no mint marks and are worth 2 cents. The coins without mint marks can either be from San Francisco or Philadelphia and can sell for up to $10,000 at an auction.

The San Francisco Mint firm closed its production officially from 1955 to 1968. About 196,630,000 coins were produced containing San Francisco cents in Philadelphia. In MS 67 R.D., this (S) No Mint Mark Penny Value can trade for $5,700.

1964 Penny Value Chart

What to Look For on a 1964 Penny?

When looking for a 1964 penny, there are a few things you should keep an eye out for. First, look for the date on the coin. The date should be visible and easy to read without difficulty. Next, check the condition of the coin.

A 1964 penny in good condition will have few blemishes or marks. Finally, take a look at the mint mark on the coin. This mark will indicate where the coin was minted and can help to identify a genuine 1964 penny from a fake one.

1964 Penny Value Error

The 1964 penny is worth more than one cent due to a printing error. The “L” in “Liberty” is missing on some of the coins. This variety is known as a 1964-D overdate penny. While most overdate pennies are worth only a few dollars, the 1964-D overdate penny is worth around $85 in mint condition.

The coin was supposed to be made of copper, but a mistake at the mint led to some of the coins being steel. A 1964 penny is made of 95% copper and 5% zinc. 

1964 Penny Error List

The 1964 penny error list includes wide and minor varieties and die state information for each array. Some of the most critical mistakes on the list of 1964 penny mistakes are:

• The “doubled die” variety, in which the date and lettering on the coin are doubled due to a die misalignment during production. This is one of the most famous and highly sought-after varieties of any U.S. coin, and examples can sell for thousands of dollars.
• The “RPM” (reversed proof mark) variety, in which a proof coin was struck using a die intended to make business strike coins. These coins are scarce and also command high prices from collectors.

• The “missing mintmark” variety, in which some examples of the coin were produced without the “D” mintmark on the obverse side (indicating that they were made at the Denver Mint). These coins are also quite rare and can sell for significant sums.

While some 1964 penny errors are pretty valuable, others are much more common and, therefore, not worth as much money.

What Makes a 1964 D Penny Rare?

A 1964 D penny is considered rare for a few reasons. First, only about 1% of all pennies minted in 1964 were of the D-mint variety. Second, the Denver Mint, where the D pennies were made, had a higher-than-average number of coins rejected due to quality control issues.

This means that even fewer perfect examples of the coin exist. Lastly, many collectors saved 1964 D pennies when they first came out, which made the number of coins even less.

Most Valuable 1964 D Penny Value

The 1964 D Penny is considered by many to be one of the most valuable pennies in existence. Most of the coins were destroyed, making the ones left very valuable. A 1964 D penny is worth between 2 USD and 5,000 USD. The condition, patina, and grade of a coin make it a sought-after commodity by coin collectors.

A single 1964 D penny can fetch more than $10,000 at auction. According to PCGS, a coin classified as MS68 SMS is worth a staggering $27,500. The coin’s value will continue to rise as more and more people become aware of its existence.

The 1964 D penny was minted in Denver, Colorado, with a total mintage of 1,579,324,710 coins. Out of all the pennies minted that year, the 1964 D penny is the most scarce and valuable. 

Conclusion

The 1964 penny is a valuable collector’s item, and its value can vary depending on the coin’s condition. While coins in excellent condition can command high prices, even those with minor imperfections may still be worth more than their face value.

If you have a 1964 penny, it is always worth getting it appraised so that you know what it could be worth to collectors. Your 1964 penny could become one of your most treasured possessions with proper care and storage!