1973 Lincoln Cent Date Guide

Oil shock and cent shortages

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1973 overview Mintage, history, and notes for this year's cents

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 3,728,245,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (69 of 126)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 3,549,576,588
Mintage Ranking for Type: (72 of 126)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

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Mintage: 317,177,295
Mintage Ranking for Type: (120 of 126)

San Francisco (PR)

Mintage: 2,760,339
Mintage Ranking for Type: (41 of 54)

1973 in history

Rising costs and hoarding habits made even low-value cents feel important during the energy crisis.
The Arab oil embargo after the Yom Kippur War sent gasoline prices and inflation sharply higher.
The Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, establishing a constitutional right to abortion.
Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned in a bribery scandal; Gerald Ford replaced him.
The Vietnam War ended with the Paris Peace Accords in January.
Skylab, America's first space station, was launched into orbit.
The World Trade Center towers opened in New York City.
Britain, Ireland, and Denmark joined the European Economic Community.

1973 Lincoln cent year notes

Collector notes for 1973 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Images/Mintage Mint issues and coin images for 1973

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 3,728,245,000
Mintage Ranking for Type: (69 of 126)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 3,549,576,588
Mintage Ranking for Type: (72 of 126)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage: 317,177,295
Mintage Ranking for Type: (120 of 126)

San Francisco (PR)

Mintage: 2,760,339
Mintage Ranking for Type: (41 of 54)

1973 in history What else was happening that year

Rising costs and hoarding habits made even low-value cents feel important during the energy crisis.
The Arab oil embargo after the Yom Kippur War sent gasoline prices and inflation sharply higher.
The Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, establishing a constitutional right to abortion.
Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned in a bribery scandal; Gerald Ford replaced him.
The Vietnam War ended with the Paris Peace Accords in January.
Skylab, America's first space station, was launched into orbit.
The World Trade Center towers opened in New York City.
Britain, Ireland, and Denmark joined the European Economic Community.

1973 cent notes Collector notes for this year's Lincoln cents

Collector notes for 1973 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Design types Obverse and reverse engravings in use for 1973

Obverse design types (ODT)

1973 obverse — ODT19 · 1973

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 1973 Lincoln cents

Pointed Serif-D — 1964 · business · 1968–1979
Ragged-S — 1970–1974

See the mint mark types reference.

Typical values Series price guide for regular-issue 1973 cents

1973 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
1973-P BN	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0
1973-P RB
1973-P RD
1973-D BN	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0
1973-D RB
1973-D RD
1973-S BN	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0
1973-S RB
1973-S RD

Issue	AU53	AU55	AU58	MS60	MS61	MS62
1973-P BN	0	0	0	0.05	0.05	0.05
1973-P RB
1973-P RD
1973-D BN	0	0	0	0.05	0.05	0.05
1973-D RB
1973-D RD
1973-S BN	0	0	0	0.05	0.05	0.05
1973-S RB
1973-S RD

Issue	MS63	MS64	MS65	MS66	MS67
1973-P BN	0.10	0.60	2.40	8.75
1973-P RB	0.45	3.45	7.20	13.75
1973-P RD	6	7.45	11.75	25.25	300
1973-D BN	0.10	0.60	2.40	10
1973-D RB	0.45	2.90	6.60	18.75
1973-D RD	3	5.60	13	35.25	940
1973-S BN	0.10	0.60	2.40	17.50
1973-S RB	0.45	2.90	6	41.25
1973-S RD	7	9.75	14.50	79	870

Issue	G4	VG8	F12	VF20	EF40	AU50
1973-P BN	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0
1973-P RB
1973-P RD
1973-D BN	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0
1973-D RB
1973-D RD
1973-S BN	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0
1973-S RB
1973-S RD

Issue	AU53	AU55	AU58	MS60	MS61	MS62
1973-P BN	0	0	0	0.05	0.05	0.05
1973-P RB
1973-P RD
1973-D BN	0	0	0	0.05	0.05	0.05
1973-D RB
1973-D RD
1973-S BN	0	0	0	0.05	0.05	0.05
1973-S RB
1973-S RD

Issue	MS63	MS64	MS65	MS66	MS67
1973-P BN	0.10	0.60	2.40	8.75
1973-P RB	0.45	3.45	7.20	13.75
1973-P RD	6	7.45	11.75	25.25	300
1973-D BN	0.10	0.60	2.40	10
1973-D RB	0.45	2.90	6.60	18.75
1973-D RD	3	5.60	13	35.25	940
1973-S BN	0.10	0.60	2.40	17.50
1973-S RB	0.45	2.90	6	41.25
1973-S RD	7	9.75	14.50	79	870

Proof

Issue	PR60	PR61	PR62	PR63
1973-S CAM	0.25	0.80	1.45	2.40
1973-S DCAM

Issue	PR64	PR65	PR66	PR67
1973-S CAM	6	8.40	10.75	13.75
1973-S DCAM	8.40	11.50	14.50	21.25

Issue	PR68	PR69	PR70
1973-S CAM	18.75	25
1973-S DCAM	32.50	65	2,625

Issue	PR60	PR61	PR62	PR63
1973-S CAM	0.25	0.80	1.45	2.40
1973-S DCAM

Issue	PR64	PR65	PR66	PR67
1973-S CAM	6	8.40	10.75	13.75
1973-S DCAM	8.40	11.50	14.50	21.25

Issue	PR68	PR69	PR70
1973-S CAM	18.75	25
1973-S DCAM	32.50	65	2,625

Die varieties in the catalog Attributed 1973 dies by mint and variety type

Our attribution catalog for 1973—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.

Search all 1973 dies Variety value guide for 1973

Catalogued dies for 1973

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)	2	1	N/A	3
Denver (D)	1	0	10	11
San Francisco (S)	1	0	5	6
All mints	4	1	15	20

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