In older usage, wert was generally construed with a genitive object: Das ist der Mühe nicht wert. This is now archaic, except in fixed expressions. For example: Wer den Pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des Talers nicht wert. — “Who doesn't honour the penny, isn't worthy of the dollar.” (A saying quivalent to “A penny saved is a penny earned”.)
The genitive case is still used when the object of wert is a person (or a group, organization, etc.). However, this usage is quite rare and würdig is more common instead.