Skip to main content

1920 Lincoln Cent Date Guide

Prohibition era Lincoln cents

(sponsored)

1920 overview Mintage, history, and notes for this year's cents

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
310,165,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(23 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
49,280,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(85 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
46,220,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(88 of 140)

1920 in history

1920 in history
  • Lincoln wheat cents circulated in a booming postwar economy as consumer prices climbed and wages followed.
  • The Eighteenth Amendment took full effect in January, beginning national Prohibition on alcohol.
  • Women voted nationwide for the first time after the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in August.
  • Warren G. Harding won the presidential election in a landslide over James M. Cox.
  • The Wall Street bombing in September killed 38 people in New York's financial district.
  • The League of Nations held its first meeting, though the United States never joined.
  • Babe Ruth was traded to the New York Yankees, beginning a legendary career in New York.
  • Radio broadcasts expanded as KDKA in Pittsburgh reported election returns in November.

1920 Lincoln cent year notes

Collector notes for 1920 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Images/Mintage Mint issues and coin images for 1920

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
310,165,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(23 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
49,280,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(85 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
46,220,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(88 of 140)
1920 in history What else was happening that year
1920 in history
  • Lincoln wheat cents circulated in a booming postwar economy as consumer prices climbed and wages followed.
  • The Eighteenth Amendment took full effect in January, beginning national Prohibition on alcohol.
  • Women voted nationwide for the first time after the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified in August.
  • Warren G. Harding won the presidential election in a landslide over James M. Cox.
  • The Wall Street bombing in September killed 38 people in New York's financial district.
  • The League of Nations held its first meeting, though the United States never joined.
  • Babe Ruth was traded to the New York Yankees, beginning a legendary career in New York.
  • Radio broadcasts expanded as KDKA in Pittsburgh reported election returns in November.
1920 cent notes Collector notes for this year's Lincoln cents

Collector notes for 1920 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Design types Obverse and reverse engravings in use for 1920

Obverse design types (ODT)

Reverse design types (RDT)

See the design types reference. Design types identify engraved designs; when differing designs create collectible alternatives within a year, see Lincoln cent design varieties.

Mint mark types Punch styles used on 1920 Lincoln cents
  • Early-D mint mark
    Early-D — 1911–1920 · business · 1922 · business · 1924–1933 · business
  • Small-S mint mark
    Small-S — 1917–1921 · business · 1923–1931 · business · 1935–1941 · business

See the mint mark types reference.

Typical values Series price guide for regular-issue 1920 cents

1920 Lincoln cents from the CopperCoins series price guide (August/September 2026 edition) — approximate values only, not offers to buy or sell. Business strikes show separate BN, RB, and RD lines where priced.

Business strike

Issue G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 EF45
1920-P BN 0.30 0.35 0.60 2 2.80 5.80
1920-P RB
1920-P RD
1920-D BN 0.50 1.10 1.90 6.20 18 21
1920-D RB
1920-D RD
1920-S BN 0.70 1 2.35 7.45 15 19.25
1920-S RB
1920-S RD
Issue G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 EF45
1920-P BN 0.30 0.35 0.60 2 2.80 5.80
1920-P RB
1920-P RD
1920-D BN 0.50 1.10 1.90 6.20 18 21
1920-D RB
1920-D RD
1920-S BN 0.70 1 2.35 7.45 15 19.25
1920-S RB
1920-S RD
Die varieties in the catalog Attributed 1920 dies by mint and variety type

Our attribution catalog for 1920—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.

Search all 1920 dies Variety value guide for 1920

Catalogued dies for 1920

CopperCoins has not catalogued die varieties for 1920 yet.

(sponsored)