A remarkable 1919 Lincoln Wheat Cent graded PCGS MS-69 RD with a CAC green sticker will appear at auction through GreatCollections on March 22, 2026.
This coin represents one of the most extraordinary certified examples in the entire Lincoln cent series. Collectors rarely encounter a business-strike Wheat cent preserved at this level of quality. Even more striking, the coin comes from the renowned collection of Stewart Blay, whose registry-level Lincoln cents set several modern auction benchmarks.
For many collectors, simply seeing a copper coin struck more than a century ago in this condition feels remarkable.
A Lincoln Cent Preserved at an Extraordinary Level
Professional grading services evaluate coins on a 1-to-70 scale. A grade of MS-69 sits just one point below theoretical perfection.
This 1919 Lincoln cent carries three notable distinctions:
- Certified MS-69 RD by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS)
- Approved with a green sticker by Certified Acceptance Corporation (CAC)
- Exhibits full original Mint Red color
Copper coins typically darken over time as oxidation affects their surfaces. Because of that natural process, truly pristine red examples from the early 20th century remain extremely rare.
Certification records also highlight the coin’s uniqueness. PCGS lists this piece as the only pre-1934 Lincoln cent graded MS-69. In addition, CAC has not approved any other U.S. cent at the 69 level, whether business strike or proof.
These combined factors place the coin at the very top of the certified population for the Wheat cent design.
A Record-Setting Lincoln Cent
The same coin captured widespread attention in January 2023 when it sold publicly for $412,500.
The sale established an auction record for a classic U.S. small cent struck for circulation. No Flying Eagle cent (1856–1858) or Indian Head cent (1859–1909) has approached that level in auction results.
Other notable Lincoln cent sales from the Stewart Blay collection followed close behind:
- 1909 VDB Lincoln cent, Proof-67+ RD (CAC) – $357,500
- 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent, MS-67 RD (CAC) – $337,700
However, both coins represent famous key issues. The 1919 cent stands apart because it comes from a date normally considered common.
A Common Date With an Extraordinary Survivor
The Lincoln Wheat cent debuted in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth.
By 1919, the coin had become firmly established in American commerce. The United States Mint in Philadelphia produced more than 390 million 1919 cents, the highest mintage of any Lincoln cent before 1940.
Because of that large production, examples of the date remain plentiful today. Even heavily worn pieces appear frequently in circulation finds, coin shop inventories, and old Wheat cent collections.
Lower-grade values reflect that abundance. A typical Very Fine example sells for around one dollar, while a well-worn Good-4 piece might trade for about twenty-five cents.
The MS-69 example therefore represents an extreme outlier. It demonstrates what can happen when a coin survives more than a century with virtually no disturbance to its surfaces or color.
Understanding the Certified Population
Population reports illustrate how rare elite Lincoln cents become at the highest levels of preservation.
Among Lincoln cents dated before 1934, PCGS reports 40 coins graded MS-68 RD across all dates. Nearly half of them, 19 pieces, belong to the 1919 issue.
By comparison, NGC has certified only two pre-1934 Lincoln cents as MS-68 RD, both examples of the 1909 VDB. The service reports no coins at the MS-69 level for early Wheat cents.
These statistics highlight how narrow the margin becomes between the highest certified grades. Even among coins preserved at the gem level, the difference between MS-68 and MS-69 represents an exceptionally small group of survivors.
The Stewart Blay Provenance
The coin also carries notable provenance. It once formed part of the Lincoln cent holdings assembled by Stewart Blay, a dedicated collector known for pursuing the finest certified examples available.
Blay’s collection gained attention for its concentration of top-graded Wheat cents. Several pieces from that set established new auction benchmarks during recent sales.
This MS-69 RD 1919 cent stands as one of the most remarkable coins associated with the collection.
A Century-Old Coin in Remarkable Condition
Most collectors encounter 1919 Lincoln cents in well-circulated condition. Many appear in childhood collections, blue Whitman folders, or inherited Wheat cent sets assembled decades ago.
The coin offered by GreatCollections shows what the date can look like when preserved at the highest possible level. Brilliant red color, pristine surfaces, and exceptional eye appeal combine to create a coin rarely seen even by experienced numismatists.
For collectors and researchers alike, the piece offers a glimpse of how a widely circulated American coin originally appeared when it left the Mint more than a century ago.
The post 1919 Lincoln Cent PCGS MS69 RD (CAC) – The Finest Wheat Cent Ever Certified appeared first on CoinWeek: Rare Coin, Currency, and Bullion News for Collectors.
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