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1924 Lincoln Cent Date Guide

Coolidge prosperity and cents

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1924 overview Mintage, history, and notes for this year's cents

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
75,178,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(74 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
2,520,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(136 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
11,696,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(121 of 140)

1924 in history

1924 in history
  • Cent production stayed strong as installment buying and new consumer goods spread through American households.
  • Calvin Coolidge won election to a full presidential term after finishing Harding's term.
  • Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act, granting U.S. citizenship to Native Americans.
  • Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first woman elected governor of a U.S. state.
  • J. Edgar Hoover was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation, later the FBI.
  • George Gershwin premiered Rhapsody in Blue in New York in February.
  • Lenin died in the Soviet Union; a power struggle followed that elevated Joseph Stalin.
  • The Immigration Act of 1924 sharply limited arrivals from Asia and southern and eastern Europe.

1924 Lincoln cent year notes

With few exceptions, this year's cents are remarkably similar to the previous few years. One of the exceptions is that the quality of detail on the cents this year appears somewhat better than that of the previous few years, although more stringent quality measures would be needed to bring them back up to the quality of the coins minted in the teens. Another exception is that for the first time in three years, all three mints were back in the business of producing cents. What's more, there are actually a few known die varieties to watch for in 1924 cents.

This year boasts the earliest known really nice distended hub doubled die in the series. On the reverse of a small number of coins there exists strong extra thickness on the entire motto and both wheat stalks. There has been only one of these coins reported to coppercoins.com, so the number actually made or still in existence is likely quite low. Other similar yet less noticeable doubled dies can be found on the obverse and reverse of both 1924 plain and S mint cents.

The five-year gap in repunched mintmarks comes to an end this year as well with a nice, wide south spread S mint RPM.

1924P-1DR-001, a class 6 distended doubled die reverse, shows moderate to strong extra thickness on all outer devices. Notice especially that the dots separating the parts of the motto are egg-shaped instead of their intended circular shape. This is the earliest such die reported to coppercoins.com. Photos by Bob Piazza.

Images/Mintage Mint issues and coin images for 1924

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
75,178,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(74 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
2,520,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(136 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
11,696,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(121 of 140)
1924 in history What else was happening that year
1924 in history
  • Cent production stayed strong as installment buying and new consumer goods spread through American households.
  • Calvin Coolidge won election to a full presidential term after finishing Harding's term.
  • Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act, granting U.S. citizenship to Native Americans.
  • Nellie Tayloe Ross of Wyoming became the first woman elected governor of a U.S. state.
  • J. Edgar Hoover was appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation, later the FBI.
  • George Gershwin premiered Rhapsody in Blue in New York in February.
  • Lenin died in the Soviet Union; a power struggle followed that elevated Joseph Stalin.
  • The Immigration Act of 1924 sharply limited arrivals from Asia and southern and eastern Europe.
1924 cent notes Collector notes for this year's Lincoln cents

With few exceptions, this year's cents are remarkably similar to the previous few years. One of the exceptions is that the quality of detail on the cents this year appears somewhat better than that of the previous few years, although more stringent quality measures would be needed to bring them back up to the quality of the coins minted in the teens. Another exception is that for the first time in three years, all three mints were back in the business of producing cents. What's more, there are actually a few known die varieties to watch for in 1924 cents.

This year boasts the earliest known really nice distended hub doubled die in the series. On the reverse of a small number of coins there exists strong extra thickness on the entire motto and both wheat stalks. There has been only one of these coins reported to coppercoins.com, so the number actually made or still in existence is likely quite low. Other similar yet less noticeable doubled dies can be found on the obverse and reverse of both 1924 plain and S mint cents.

The five-year gap in repunched mintmarks comes to an end this year as well with a nice, wide south spread S mint RPM.

1924P-1DR-001, a class 6 distended doubled die reverse, shows moderate to strong extra thickness on all outer devices. Notice especially that the dots separating the parts of the motto are egg-shaped instead of their intended circular shape. This is the earliest such die reported to coppercoins.com. Photos by Bob Piazza.

Key Dates & Errors Key dates, valuable errors, and genuine vs fake guidance for 1924

1924-D Key date

Mintage 2,520,000 from four known dies (about 630,000 coins per die on average). Low-mintage Denver key — mint marks look similar, so die scratches and reverse weakness often decide the attribution.

Diagnostics in this package come from Chuck Daughtrey’s die study (Keys to the Lincoln, 2018). Mint marks were punched into working dies by hand until 1990, so position (and often tilt) separates dies. Overlays against fixed design elements such as the date make those differences obvious. Measurements between the closest point of the middle date digits and the mint mark help confirm which die struck a coin.

Study sample: 290 different 1924-D coins. Relative frequencies: #01 common (~28%), #02 very common (~42%), #03 common (~27%), #04 very scarce (~4%).

Because mint-mark placement is ordinary on most dies, secondary markers are essential above VF.

Known fakes & alterations

Key and semi-key Lincoln cents are the focus of authenticators and counterfeiters alike. Common alteration methods include:

  • Adding a mint mark to a common Philadelphia issue of the same date (for example, turning a 1914 into a 1914-D).
  • Scraping or altering digits of a common date (for example, turning a 1944-D into a 1914-D).
  • Copying genuine coins by spark erosion or soft-die transposition.

Crude alterations usually fail under close study because device details and mint-mark character are wrong. Matching a coin to one of the few known genuine dies for the issue is a powerful authenticity check. When in doubt, use a trusted third-party grading service.

Confirm a 1924-D against the die-marker suite below. Ordinary mint-mark placement alone is usually not enough on this issue.

Quick checklist

  1. Mint marks are similar — prioritize die scratches and reverse weakness
  2. Die #01: early mottling/rust pits; raised die dot ahead of chin on many
  3. Die #02: NE–SW scratches behind head; weak/incomplete O of ONE
  4. Die #03: E–W forehead scratches; concentric gouges at motto; reverse abrasion
  5. Die #04 (very scarce): deep V scratches at back of neck; weak OF / first A of AMERICA

Die pairs that struck this issue

Die #01 Common. Mint mark a little high vs others, right tilt. Heavy mottling/rust pits even on earliest study coins; nose “warts”; often a raised die dot in field ahead of chin.

How to recognize: Common. Mint mark a little high vs others, right tilt. Heavy mottling/rust pits even on earliest study coins; nose “warts”; often a raised die dot in field ahead of chin.

Relative frequency: Common. Study sample: 81 of 290 (27.9%). Assumed die mintage: ~703,080. No early/mid clean examples were found in the study — the die appears to have entered service already damaged/rusted.

  • 1924-D Die #01 — mint mark and early mottling
    1924-D Die #01 — mint mark and early mottling
  • 1924-D Die #01 — measurement / position plate
    1924-D Die #01 — measurement / position plate
Die #02 Very common (~42% of study). Mint mark slightly right of center. NE–SW scratches behind head; concentric scratches at top; O of ONE often weak to nearly incomplete.

How to recognize: Very common (~42% of study). Mint mark slightly right of center. NE–SW scratches behind head; concentric scratches at top; O of ONE often weak to nearly incomplete.

Relative frequency: Very common. Study sample: 121 of 290 (41.7%). Assumed die mintage: ~1,050,840. Likely the most-used die of any sub-4-million Lincoln key in this study. Weak-O reverse is a fast pickup point.

  • 1924-D Die #02 — common die
    1924-D Die #02 — common die
  • 1924-D Die #02 — measurement plate
    1924-D Die #02 — measurement plate
Die #03 Common. E–W forehead scratches; concentric scratches/gouges parallel to rim at motto; neck scratches; reverse field abrasion in consistent spots.

How to recognize: Common. E–W forehead scratches; concentric scratches/gouges parallel to rim at motto; neck scratches; reverse field abrasion in consistent spots.

Relative frequency: Common. Study sample: 77 of 290 (26.6%). Assumed die mintage: ~670,320. Mint-mark position is not distinctive — use the scratch/abrasion suite above VF.

  • 1924-D Die #03
    1924-D Die #03
  • 1924-D Die #03 — measurement plate
    1924-D Die #03 — measurement plate
  • 1924-D Die #03 — additional plate
    1924-D Die #03 — additional plate
Die #04 Very scarce (~4%). Deep V-shaped scratches near back of neck; scratches through date/LIBERTY; reverse mottling; OF and first A of AMERICA almost always very weak. Not known past mid die state.

How to recognize: Very scarce (~4%). Deep V-shaped scratches near back of neck; scratches through date/LIBERTY; reverse mottling; OF and first A of AMERICA almost always very weak. Not known past mid die state.

Relative frequency: Very scarce. Study sample: 11 of 290 (3.7%). Assumed die mintage: ~93,240. Assumed early retirement. Reverse rust mottling and weak OF/AMERICA are strong companions to the obverse V scratches.

  • 1924-D Die #04 — scarce die
    1924-D Die #04 — scarce die
  • 1924-D Die #04 — measurement plate
    1924-D Die #04 — measurement plate

Open the 1924-D (key date) information page.

See the list of all key dates and errors in Lincoln cents

Design types Obverse and reverse engravings in use for 1924

Obverse design types (ODT)

  • Flat serif G obverse
    Flat serif G obverse — ODT09 · 1922–1929 · business · 1931–1933 · business · 1935–1955 · business · 1936–1942 · proof · 1950–1955 · proof

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 1924 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 1924 cents

1924 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
1924-P BN 0.30 0.45 0.85 2.20 6.35 7.80
1924-P RB
1924-P RD
1924-D BN 26.75 33.50 41.50 57.50 95 110
1924-D RB
1924-D RD
1924-S BN 1.70 2.70 4.70 18 33.75 42.50
1924-S RB
1924-S RD
Issue G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 EF45
1924-P BN 0.30 0.45 0.85 2.20 6.35 7.80
1924-P RB
1924-P RD
1924-D BN 26.75 33.50 41.50 57.50 95 110
1924-D RB
1924-D RD
1924-S BN 1.70 2.70 4.70 18 33.75 42.50
1924-S RB
1924-S RD
Die varieties in the catalog Attributed 1924 dies by mint and variety type

Our attribution catalog for 1924—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.

Search all 1924 dies Variety value guide for 1924

Catalogued dies for 1924

Number of assigned dies in the CopperCoins catalog, by mint and variety type. Click a count to search that group.

Mint DR Doubled Die Reverse MM Repunched Mint Mark Total
Philadelphia (P) 1 N/A 1
San Francisco (S) 1 1 2
All mints 2 1 3

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