Lincoln Cents, Wheat Reverse 1938 S 1C MS

NGC Universal ID: 22DN

Coin Information

1938 S 1C MS
Obverse
1938 S 1C MS
Reverse
  • Category: Lincoln Cents, Wheat Reverse (1909-1958)
  • Mint: San Francisco
  • Mintage: 15,180,000
  • Obverse Designer: Victor D. Brenner
  • Reverse Designer: Victor D. Brenner
  • Composition: Bronze
  • Weight: 3.11g
  • Diameter: 19mm
  • Edge: Plain
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Grade Summary

View a summary of the NGC Price Guide, NGC Census, Auction Prices Realized and NGC Registry Scores for each grade.

1938 S 1C MS
 
NGC Price Guide
NGC Census
Auction Prices Realized
NGC Registry Score
Find it on eBay
PrAgGVGFVFXFXF+5050+5353+5555+5858+6060+6161+6262+6363+6464+6565+6666+6767+6868+6970
$4.50 $6 $7 $9 $12.50 $22 $32.50 $55
00000000000000000101070340480280610000

10/6/13 - PCGS
$7.25
Lot# 119777 - GC

12/23/12 - PCGS
$9.11
Lot# 90781 - GC

12/9/12 - NGC
$29.01
Lot# 78572 - GC

5/1/11 - PCGS
$63.25
Lot# 1092 - TT

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6/30/10 - PCGS
$44.00
Lot# 1066 - TT

10/5/09 - PCGS
$29.00
Lot# 1038 - TT

2/11/07 - PCGS
$44.00
Lot# 1035 - TT

View All >
3 3 3 3 6 6 7 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 11 16 17 20 21 24 27 32 38 50 63 89 104 135 163 220 229 248 266 301 363
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Description & Analysis

The low mintage of this issue made it moderately scarce in circulation, but it also attracted speculators who put aside BU rolls at or near the time of minting. Fully red gems thus survive in sufficient numbers to satisfy advanced collectors. With a slowed economy, the mintage of this issue was sporadic, with nearly all pieces struck in two bursts of activity at the beginning and the end of 1938. Most were not released until the following year, which only encouraged more hoarding. Two spectacular repunched mintmark varieties are known for 1938-S cent. FS-501 is notably more scarce than FS-502, but both are widely collected as part of the series.

Price Guide

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1938 S 1C MS RB Last updated 07/12/2020
 
BASE

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NGC US Coin Price Guide >

Census

NGC Grade Summary
  • Total Graded: 4186
  • Low Grade: VF
  • Average Grade: 65
  • High Grade: 68
Created with Highcharts 5.0.1463200100242314762324949483VF404550535558606162636465666768050010001500200025003000
NGC Census Detail
1938 S 1C MS RB Last updated 04/02/2025
 
BASE
TOTAL
 
PrAgGVGFVF4045505355586061626364656667686970 TOTAL
0000000000001173448285000 124
0000000000000000000000 0
0000000000000000001000 1
0000000000000000000000 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 7 34 48 28 6 0 0 0 125
0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%1%6%27%38%22%5%0%0%0%
NGC US Coin Census >

NGC Registry

NGC Registry Score
1938 S 1C MS RB
 
BASE
PrAgGVGFVF4045505355586061626364656667686970
16 20 24 32 50 89 135 220 248 301 363 
11 17 21 27 38 63 104 163 229 266 322 381 
11 17 21 27 38 63 104 163 229 266 
14 19 23 29 44 76 120 192 239 283