1946 Lincoln Cent Date Guide
Roosevelt dime honors FDR
1946 overview
Philadelphia (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 991,655,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (5 of 140)
Denver (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 315,690,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (22 of 140)
San Francisco (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 198,100,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (40 of 140)
1946 in history
- The Roosevelt dime replaced the Mercury dime to honor Franklin Roosevelt (d. 1945) and the March of Dimes campaign.
- Jefferson nickels returned to the standard copper-nickel alloy after the wartime 35% silver composition. Branch mint marks were returned to the right of the Monticello from the wartime position in the field above the building.
- The United Nations General Assembly met for the first time in London on January 10. Bringing together representatives from the original 51 member states, this historic gathering defined the operational scope of the United Nations.
- Winston Churchill delivered his Iron Curtain speech, warning of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.
- French engineer Louis Réard unveiled a revolutionary, scandalous two-piece swimsuit at the Piscine Molitor in Paris, later referred to as the 'bikini.'
- Italy abolished the monarchy and became a republic after a referendum.
- The first annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 20 September to 5 October 1946. Twenty-one countries presented their films to the jury for consideration.
1946 Lincoln cent year notes
Any individual coins in red are easy to obtain for this year, however the Philadelphia mint coins tend to be very difficult to find in grades above MS65. Rolls are not difficult to obtain; S-mint rolls are by far the most expensive of the year at over $200 per BU roll, more for the original sealed rolls.
Images/Mintage
Philadelphia (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 991,655,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (5 of 140)
Denver (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 315,690,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (22 of 140)
San Francisco (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 198,100,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (40 of 140)
1946 in history
- The Roosevelt dime replaced the Mercury dime to honor Franklin Roosevelt (d. 1945) and the March of Dimes campaign.
- Jefferson nickels returned to the standard copper-nickel alloy after the wartime 35% silver composition. Branch mint marks were returned to the right of the Monticello from the wartime position in the field above the building.
- The United Nations General Assembly met for the first time in London on January 10. Bringing together representatives from the original 51 member states, this historic gathering defined the operational scope of the United Nations.
- Winston Churchill delivered his Iron Curtain speech, warning of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.
- French engineer Louis Réard unveiled a revolutionary, scandalous two-piece swimsuit at the Piscine Molitor in Paris, later referred to as the 'bikini.'
- Italy abolished the monarchy and became a republic after a referendum.
- The first annual Cannes Film Festival was held from 20 September to 5 October 1946. Twenty-one countries presented their films to the jury for consideration.
1946 cent notes
Any individual coins in red are easy to obtain for this year, however the Philadelphia mint coins tend to be very difficult to find in grades above MS65. Rolls are not difficult to obtain; S-mint rolls are by far the most expensive of the year at over $200 per BU roll, more for the original sealed rolls.
Design types
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)
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
-
Pulled Corner-D — 1946–1953 · business -
Trumpet-tail S — 1942 · business · 1945–1952 · business -
Ball-serif S — 1944–1946 · business -
Sans-serif S — 1946–1947 · business
See the mint mark types reference.
Typical values
1946 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 | AU50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-P BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 1946-P RB | ||||||
| 1946-P RD | ||||||
| 1946-D BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 1946-D RB | ||||||
| 1946-D RD | ||||||
| 1946-S BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 1946-S RB | ||||||
| 1946-S RD |
| Issue | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 | MS61 | MS62 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-P BN | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.60 | 0.85 | 1.45 |
| 1946-P RB | ||||||
| 1946-P RD | 3 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 1946-D BN | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.45 | 0.70 | 1.25 |
| 1946-D RB | ||||||
| 1946-D RD | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 1946-S BN | 0.15 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.40 | 0.45 | 1.25 |
| 1946-S RB | ||||||
| 1946-S RD | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Issue | MS63 | MS64 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-P BN | 1.75 | 2 | 5.40 | 13.25 | 30 |
| 1946-P RB | 2.90 | 4.60 | 7.20 | 24 | |
| 1946-P RD | 5 | 6.50 | 13 | 66.50 | 670 |
| 1946-D BN | 1.60 | 1.90 | 6 | 13.25 | 30 |
| 1946-D RB | 3.15 | 5.20 | 12 | 18 | 43.75 |
| 1946-D RD | 7.10 | 15.75 | 28 | 62 | 219 |
| 1946-S BN | 1.45 | 1.75 | 6 | 10.75 | 27.50 |
| 1946-S RB | 3.15 | 5.20 | 8.40 | 14.50 | 43.75 |
| 1946-S RD | 7.95 | 11 | 15 | 23.25 | 169 |
| Issue | G4 | VG8 | F12 | VF20 | EF40 | AU50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-P BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 1946-P RB | ||||||
| 1946-P RD | ||||||
| 1946-D BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 1946-D RB | ||||||
| 1946-D RD | ||||||
| 1946-S BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.10 | 0.10 |
| 1946-S RB | ||||||
| 1946-S RD |
| Issue | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 | MS61 | MS62 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-P BN | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.60 | 0.85 | 1.45 |
| 1946-P RB | ||||||
| 1946-P RD | 3 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 1946-D BN | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.45 | 0.70 | 1.25 |
| 1946-D RB | ||||||
| 1946-D RD | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 1946-S BN | 0.15 | 0.20 | 0.20 | 0.40 | 0.45 | 1.25 |
| 1946-S RB | ||||||
| 1946-S RD | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Issue | MS63 | MS64 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946-P BN | 1.75 | 2 | 5.40 | 13.25 | 30 |
| 1946-P RB | 2.90 | 4.60 | 7.20 | 24 | |
| 1946-P RD | 5 | 6.50 | 13 | 66.50 | 670 |
| 1946-D BN | 1.60 | 1.90 | 6 | 13.25 | 30 |
| 1946-D RB | 3.15 | 5.20 | 12 | 18 | 43.75 |
| 1946-D RD | 7.10 | 15.75 | 28 | 62 | 219 |
| 1946-S BN | 1.45 | 1.75 | 6 | 10.75 | 27.50 |
| 1946-S RB | 3.15 | 5.20 | 8.40 | 14.50 | 43.75 |
| 1946-S RD | 7.95 | 11 | 15 | 23.25 | 169 |
Articles and videos
Die varieties in the catalog
Our attribution catalog for 1946—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.
Catalogued dies for 1946
Number of assigned dies in the CopperCoins catalog, by mint and variety type. Click a count to search that group.
| Mint | DO Doubled Die Obverse | DR Doubled Die Reverse | MM Repunched Mint Mark | OM Over Mint Mark | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia (P) | 11 | 3 | N/A | 0 | 14 |
| Denver (D) | 9 | 3 | 79 | 0 | 91 |
| San Francisco (S) | 9 | 5 | 77 | 1 | 92 |
| All mints | 29 | 11 | 156 | 1 | 197 |
OMM listings for this year
Catalog results
1946S•1OM•001
S/D South
Serif mintmark. The upper half of a 'D' punching shows inside the lower half of the primary mintmark. Old CPG #021.2
Cross references
- WEXLER: WOMM-001
- CONECA: OMM-001
- FIVAZ/STANTON: FS-511
- CRAWFORD: COMM-001
All prices and market estimates are for informational and educational purposes only. They are not appraisals, guarantees, or offers to buy or sell. See the Terms of Use for the full Price Guide and Valuation Disclaimer.
Variety plate coin videos
Videos on our YouTube channel that show when the plate coins for these dies were found in CopperCoins roll reveal videos.
