Is this penny worth anything?

by Tylier
(New Jersey)

Question: I have a 1956 penny with the letter, D, underneath the date and the back of the penny does not have the Lincoln Memorial on it. Is this penny worth anything?

My Answer: The Lincoln Memorial did not first appear on United States one cent coins until 1959. Before that time the Lincoln cent had wheat ears on the reverse (1909-1958).

The 'D' underneath the date is the mintmark of the United States Mint in Denver Colorado, where your coin was made.

As to what the coin is worth, it is impossible to give you a definite answer without knowing what kind of shape the coin is in. I can tell you that it is not a really valuable coin. If the coin has seen some wear typical of coins from pocket change, it is probably worth 3 to 5 cents. If it is in extremely good shape, maybe 10 to 15 cents.