The United States 1968 penny value is set by the striking type, the place of striking, the number made, the grade of preservation following common coin standards, and the presence of known varieties or striking errors.
It was struck in three main types: standard strike without a mint mark from Philadelphia, standard strike with a Denver mint mark 1968-D, and collector strike with a San Francisco mint mark 1968-S Proof.
Coin Specs for 1968
Value: 1 US Cent
Type: Lincoln Memorial Cent
Сomposition: Bronze 95% copper, 5% zinc and tin
Size: 19.05 mm
Weight: 3.11 grams
Designer: Victor David Brenner obverse, Frank Gasparro reverse
Value Assessment by Striking Place and Numbers Made
The coin’s value depends on the number made and the conditions it was struck under.
1968 Coin without Mint Mark Philadelphia
These coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint using no mint mark.
Number Made: 2,886,168,000
Description: A large run, showing a wide spread in striking quality and having scratches and wear on most existing pieces.
| Grade | Technical Coin Condition Description | Value Range |
| AG About Good | Coin heavily worn, showing only main shapes | $0.05 – $0.10 |
| G Good | Coin worn, words seen but weak | $0.10 – $0.15 |
| VG Very Good | Words clear, but wear is still large | $0.15 – $0.20 |
| F Fine | Wear is present, but the main parts of the face and reverse are clear | $0.20 – $0.30 |
| VF Very Fine | Small wear on the high points of the raised part, details easily seen | $0.30 – $0.50 |
| XF Extra Fine | Wear barely seen, all small details clear | $0.50 – $1.00 |
| AU About Uncirculated | Signs of use are minimal, showing a little shine | $1.00 – $2.00 |
| MS-60 Mint State | No signs of use, but with possible marks from keeping or transport, low shine | $2.00 – $3.00 |
| MS-63 Mint State | Middle collector grade, good shine, small number of surface faults | $3.00 – $5.00 |
| MS-65 Mint State | High collector grade, strong shine, small faults only seen with a glass | $5.00 – $15.00 |
| MS-67 Mint State | Very high collector grade, almost no faults, full mint shine | $50.00 – $300.00 |
| MS-68 Mint State | Top quality, rare pieces, showing no visible faults | $500.00 – $1,500.00 |
1968-D Coin with Denver Mint Mark
These coins were struck at the Denver Mint, the mint mark ‘D’ sitting below the date.
Number Made: 2,711,756,100
Description: The number made is like Philadelphia’s, also a large run striking quality is mostly steady, but die faults and signs of use are not out of the question.
| Grade | Technical Coin Condition Description | Value Range |
| AG About Good | Coin heavily worn, showing only main shapes | $0.05 – $0.10 |
| G Good | Coin worn, words seen but weak | $0.10 – $0.15 |
| VG Very Good | Words clear, but wear is still large | $0.15 – $0.20 |
| F Fine | Wear is present, but the main parts of the face and reverse are clear | $0.20 – $0.30 |
| VF Very Fine | Small wear on the high points of the raised part, details easily seen | $0.30 – $0.50 |
| XF Extra Fine | Wear barely seen, all small details clear | $0.50 – $1.00 |
| AU About Uncirculated | Signs of use are minimal, showing a little shine | $1.00 – $2.00 |
| MS-60 Mint State | No signs of use, but with possible marks from keeping or transport, low shine | $2.00 – $3.00 |
| MS-63 Mint State | Middle collector grade, good shine, small number of surface faults | $3.00 – $5.00 |
| MS-65 Mint State | High collector grade, strong shine, small faults only seen with a glass | $6.00 – $20.00 |
| MS-67 Mint State | Very high collector grade, almost no faults, full mint shine | $150.00 – $600.00 |
| MS-68 Mint State | Top quality, rare pieces, showing no visible faults | $1,000.00 – $3,500.00 |
1968-S Proof Coin with San Francisco Mint Mark
These coins were struck at the San Francisco Mint only for collector sets, the mint mark ‘S’ sits below the date.
Number Made: 3,041,506
Description: High-quality strike, done on polished blanks using polished dies, coins show a mirror-like field and a dull raised part.
| Grade | Technical Coin Condition Description | Value Range |
| PR-60 Proof | Showing signs of keeping or small scratches, but keeping the shine. | $2.00 – $3.00 |
| PR-63 Proof | Small faults present on the field or raised part | $3.00 – $5.00 |
| PR-65 Proof | High collector grade, very few surface faults | $5.00 – $10.00 |
| PR-67 Proof | Very high quality, only small marks from process or keeping | $10.00 – $25.00 |
| PR-69 Proof | Perfect quality, showing no visible faults | $25.00 – $75.00 |
| PR-70 Proof | Top quality, showing no visible faults even with a glass | $150.00 – $400.00 |
Doubled Die Varieties
Doubled Die Obverse DDO
Description: The obverse raised part moving, caused by the die being hit many times during its making.
Location: Most easily seen on the letters of the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST” or on the date “1968”.
Value: Pieces in AU-50 grade and higher can cost from $50.00 to $300.00.
Doubled Die Reverse DDR
Description: The reverse raised part moving, caused by the die being hit many times during its making.
Location: Most often showing up on the letters “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” or on the word “ONE CENT”.
Value: Pieces in collector grade MS-60 and higher can cost from $30.00 to $150.00.
Striking Errors
Off-Center Strike
Description: Coin struck with a move away from the blank’s center.
Showing: Part of the coin’s image is missing, showing the blank’s smooth surface.
Value: A 10%–20% move costs $10.00 – $30.00. A 50% move and more, with a clear date and mint mark, can reach $50.00 – $250.00.
Missing Clad Layer
Description: Striking done on a blank with one or both outer layers missing.
Showing: The coin has an unusual reddish or brown copper color and less weight.
Value: These coins in use cost from $5.00 to $150.00.
Struck Through Die Fill
Description: The raised part being weak or missing, caused by striking through material like dirt or grease on the die.
Showing: Parts of letters or numbers may not be struck or look “filled in”.
Value: Filling parts of the motto or date can cost $10.00 – $50.00.
Die Breaks
Description: Raised lines caused by cracks on the working die.
Showing: Raised lines or strips are seen on the coin, crossing the raised part or the field.
Value: Large breaks, including the Cud type on the rim, can cost $20.00 – $100.00.
Extra Technical Notes on Assessment
Color Assessment: Lincoln Cent coins made from bronze can have Red, Red-Brown, or Brown color.
- Red: The coin keeps 90% or more of its first red color, normal for a freshly struck piece.
- Red-Brown: Keeps from 5% to 90% of the first red color.
- Brown: Keeps less than 5% of the first red color. For example, an MS-65 Red coin will have a much higher value than an MS-65 Brown coin.
Full Details: For the 1968 coin, the clearness of details on the reverse is key, especially the fasces — the bundle of rods with an axe on the shield in the middle of the Lincoln Memorial.
The clear making of the small raised parts shows high striking quality, making the collector value higher.
Wear and Damage: Having wear, heavy scratches, signs of cleaning, or unnatural color change greatly lowers the collector value of the coin, often to the least metal value.
Surface damage caused by outside things are not coin errors and do not make the value higher.
Certification: The highest prices in the tables are for coins that have been checked by third-party coin services PCGS, NGC.
Having a grade and sealed case makes sure the coin is real and the grade is correct, it is a must for the MS-65 grade and higher price ranges.
Therefore, when you often visit eBay, you can see coins with errors and wonder how this is related to the valuable one.
Each series and coin has its own valuation rules, so you should study at least basic information to navigate the market.