1958-D 1C, BN N1BN Certification #42636693, PCGS #2849

Charles Morgan

A Surprise End for the Wheat Cent

The 1958 and 1958-D Lincoln Cents represent the final regular-issue year of Victor David Brenner’s "Lincoln/Wheat" design. In 1959, without fanfare, the Wheat reverse was replaced with a new design by Frank Gasparro featuring the Lincoln Memorial, located at the end of the Reflecting Pool on the Mall in Washington, D.C. While Gasparro's design lacked the simple charm of the wheat reverse, it was well-executed design that set a new standard for architectural motifs on U.S. coins- one that was only surpassed years later by John Mercanti.

Collecting the 1958-D Cent

Continuing a decade-long trend, the Denver Mint’s production far outpaced Philadelphia’s, striking 800,953,300 coins. While a massive figure, it fell short of the series record set by the 1944 Lincoln Cent (#2722).

Nearly 70 years after they left the mint, Wheat Cents have largely vanished from daily commerce. Their disappearance was accelerated by the 1982 transition from bronze to copper-plated zinc, which prompted widespread hoarding of earlier copper issues. Today, circulated 1958-D cents are common in "unsearched rolls" but rarely command more than a dollar individually. However, market interest remains steady; original bank-wrapped rolls frequently trade on eBay for $30 to $40.

The certified coin market behaves much differently, however. Here, PCGS-graded Red Gems command over $20 each, while Superb Gems in MS67 can trade for over $200, while "Top Pop" specimens can fetch over $2,000 have seen strong growth in recent years, despite a trickle of new coins in the census. Red Brown, and Brown examples with interesting color also have a community of devoted collectors.

The end of the circulation of the cent bodes well for collector interest in the ever-popular Lincoln series.

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