1942 Lincoln Cent Date Guide

Wartime metals and shellcase cents

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1942 overview Mintage, history, and notes for this year's cents

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

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Mintage: 657,796,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (11 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 206,698,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (39 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 85,590,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (69 of 140)

Philadelphia (PR)

Mintage: 32,600
Mintage Ranking for Type: (10 of 26)

1942 in history

The Mint experimented with shellcase bronze cents using recovered cartridge brass to conserve copper for the war.
Jefferson nickels briefly contained 35 percent silver from 1942 through 1945 to save strategic nickel.
Executive Order 9066 led to the internment of Japanese Americans on the West Coast.
The Battle of Midway in June turned the tide of the Pacific War against Japan.
U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal in August, beginning a brutal island campaign.
The Doolittle Raid bombed Tokyo in April, boosting American morale after Pearl Harbor.
The Manhattan Project progressed at sites including Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Hanford, Washington.
The Voice of America began broadcasting American news and propaganda overseas.

1942 Lincoln cent year notes

Collector notes for 1942 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Images/Mintage Mint issues and coin images for 1942

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 657,796,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (11 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 206,698,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (39 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 85,590,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (69 of 140)

Philadelphia (PR)

Mintage: 32,600
Mintage Ranking for Type: (10 of 26)

1942 in history What else was happening that year

The Mint experimented with shellcase bronze cents using recovered cartridge brass to conserve copper for the war.
Jefferson nickels briefly contained 35 percent silver from 1942 through 1945 to save strategic nickel.
Executive Order 9066 led to the internment of Japanese Americans on the West Coast.
The Battle of Midway in June turned the tide of the Pacific War against Japan.
U.S. Marines landed on Guadalcanal in August, beginning a brutal island campaign.
The Doolittle Raid bombed Tokyo in April, boosting American morale after Pearl Harbor.
The Manhattan Project progressed at sites including Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Hanford, Washington.
The Voice of America began broadcasting American news and propaganda overseas.

1942 cent notes Collector notes for this year's Lincoln cents

Collector notes for 1942 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Design types Obverse and reverse engravings in use for 1942

Obverse design types (ODT)

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

Reverse design types (RDT)

Wheat reverse — RDT01 · 1909–1958

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 1942 Lincoln cents

Evenly Shaped-D — 1934–1945 · business
Trumpet-tail S — 1942 · business · 1945–1952 · business

See the mint mark types reference.

Typical values Series price guide for regular-issue 1942 cents

1942 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	AU50
1942-P BN	0.05	0.10	0.15	0.25	0.40		0.45
1942-P RB
1942-P RD
1942-D BN	0.05	0.10	0.15	0.25	0.30	0.40	0.50
1942-D RB
1942-D RD
1942-S BN	0.10	0.15	0.35	0.75	1		1.15
1942-S RB
1942-S RD

Issue	AU53	AU55	AU58	MS60	MS61	MS62
1942-P BN	0.50	0.55	0.60	1.50	1.80	2.30
1942-P RB
1942-P RD
1942-D BN	0.50	0.60	0.60	1.45	2.15	2.90
1942-D RB						3.15
1942-D RD						5
1942-S BN	1.45	1.75	2	6.90	8.65	9.50
1942-S RB				8.90	10.75	11.25
1942-S RD				8	8	9

Issue	MS63	MS64	MS65	MS66	MS67	MS68
1942-P BN	2.60	3.75	6	12	28.75
1942-P RB	3.70	5.75	8.40	15	37.50
1942-P RD	4.75	7.30	14.25	28.25	155	4,300
1942-D BN	4.05	5.75	7.20	12	25
1942-D RB	4.60	6.90	9.60	14.50	31.25
1942-D RD	5.20	8.15	13.50	22.75	142	5,900
1942-S BN	10.25	11.50	13.25	14.50	23.75
1942-S RB	12	13.75	15.50	16.75	32.50
1942-S RD	10.75	13.50	16	33	165	4,200

Issue	G4	VG8	F12	VF20	EF40	EF45	AU50
1942-P BN	0.05	0.10	0.15	0.25	0.40		0.45
1942-P RB
1942-P RD
1942-D BN	0.05	0.10	0.15	0.25	0.30	0.40	0.50
1942-D RB
1942-D RD
1942-S BN	0.10	0.15	0.35	0.75	1		1.15
1942-S RB
1942-S RD

Issue	AU53	AU55	AU58	MS60	MS61	MS62
1942-P BN	0.50	0.55	0.60	1.50	1.80	2.30
1942-P RB
1942-P RD
1942-D BN	0.50	0.60	0.60	1.45	2.15	2.90
1942-D RB						3.15
1942-D RD						5
1942-S BN	1.45	1.75	2	6.90	8.65	9.50
1942-S RB				8.90	10.75	11.25
1942-S RD				8	8	9

Issue	MS63	MS64	MS65	MS66	MS67	MS68
1942-P BN	2.60	3.75	6	12	28.75
1942-P RB	3.70	5.75	8.40	15	37.50
1942-P RD	4.75	7.30	14.25	28.25	155	4,300
1942-D BN	4.05	5.75	7.20	12	25
1942-D RB	4.60	6.90	9.60	14.50	31.25
1942-D RD	5.20	8.15	13.50	22.75	142	5,900
1942-S BN	10.25	11.50	13.25	14.50	23.75
1942-S RB	12	13.75	15.50	16.75	32.50
1942-S RD	10.75	13.50	16	33	165	4,200

Proof

Issue	PR60	PR61	PR62
1942-P BN	16.25	15.50	20.50
1942-P RB	15.50	19.25	26.50
1942-P RD	36	28.75	42
1942-P CAM			90

Issue	PR63	PR64	PR65
1942-P BN	27	41.25	75
1942-P RB	33.25	54	108
1942-P RD	57.50	67.50	147
1942-P CAM	188	275	880

Issue	PR66	PR67
1942-P BN	119
1942-P RB	219	1,375
1942-P RD	420	2,850
1942-P CAM	1,800	9,100

Issue	PR60	PR61	PR62
1942-P BN	16.25	15.50	20.50
1942-P RB	15.50	19.25	26.50
1942-P RD	36	28.75	42
1942-P CAM			90

Issue	PR63	PR64	PR65
1942-P BN	27	41.25	75
1942-P RB	33.25	54	108
1942-P RD	57.50	67.50	147
1942-P CAM	188	275	880

Issue	PR66	PR67
1942-P BN	119
1942-P RB	219	1,375
1942-P RD	420	2,850
1942-P CAM	1,800	9,100

Die varieties in the catalog Attributed 1942 dies by mint and variety type

Our attribution catalog for 1942—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.

Search all 1942 dies Variety value guide for 1942

Catalogued dies for 1942

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

Mint	DO	DR	MM	Total
Philadelphia (P)	20	18	N/A	38
Denver (D)	9	5	13	27
San Francisco (S)	3	5	22	30
All mints	32	28	35	95

Variety plate coin videos Roll-reveal videos that sourced plate coins for 1942 dies

Videos on our YouTube channel that show when the plate coins for these dies were found in CopperCoins roll reveal videos.

See all 26 videos

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