Ungraded vs MS66 1981 S [TYPE 1 PROOF] Lincoln Memorial Penny: price difference
1981 S [TYPE 1 PROOF] Lincoln Memorial Penny value — Ungraded $5 vs MS66 $1765. MS66 sells for 353× Ungraded (+35200%). Prices updated August 2026.
Medians of real sold listings per grade, updated August 2026 — how we compute values.
MS66 sells for 353× (+35200%) the Ungraded price — a $1,760 difference per coin.
MS66 sells for 39.22× (+3822%) the MS62 price — a $1,720 difference per coin.
Should you get this coin graded?
Grading runs about $30 per coin all-in. On 1981 S [TYPE 1 PROOF] Lincoln Memorial Penny, the jump from Ungraded to MS66 is worth $1,760 (353×) — if your copy grades at the top, that premium can cover the fee. A grade below the top one changes the math, so run your exact numbers first.
Run the grading break-even math →Values are estimates from real sales data — not appraisals or offers. Some links earn JunkPal a commission at no cost to you (disclosure).