Date variety

1970-S small date penny: how to tell and what it's worth

The 1970-S small date cent is a scarce variety of the common 1970-S penny and is worth tens of dollars in nice condition, more in top grades. To spot one, check three things: a weak LIBERTY (especially the tops of the E and Y), a 7 whose top is level with the other digits, and a sharply pointed loop inside the 9.

Small date vs large date: the three checks

San Francisco used two different date styles on 1970 cents. The large date is common. The small date (also called the "level 7") is scarce. Collectors who handle these every day say to check them in this order, because the 7 alone is easy to misjudge:

1. LIBERTY. On the small date, LIBERTY looks weak, especially the tops of the E and Y. You can often see this without magnification.
2. The 7. On the small date, the top of the 7 is about level with the tops of the 1, 9 and 0. On the large date, the 7 sits lower.
3. The 9. On the small date, the inside loop of the 9 is sharply pointed and curls toward the middle of the 7. On the large date it is rounder and points toward the bottom of the 7.

Compare against a known large date 1970-S if you have one. Side by side, the difference is much easier to see.

What 1970-S small date cents sell for

Active fixed-price eBay listings in US Coins, titles matched to this coin, lots and replicas removed, checked November 11, 2026. These are asking prices, not sales, and many listings are hopeful or mislabeled.

Raw listings sit around $68.49, but many raw coins listed as small dates are actually large dates, so certified coins are the safer guide. Bright red, uncirculated examples bring the most.

Proof small dates

The small date also exists on 1970-S proof cents from collector sets. Those are a separate market from circulation-strike coins and are priced differently, so check whether yours has mirror-like fields before comparing prices.

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