The Abraham Lincoln coin, most commonly known as the Lincoln Cent, is a widely recognized United States coin with a rich history and collectible value.
Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects of the Lincoln Cent:
- Inception: It was first introduced in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of President Lincoln’s birth. This marked a significant moment in US coinage, as it was the first regularly circulating coin to feature a real person rather than symbolic figures.
- Design: The obverse (heads side) of the coin features a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, designed by Victor David Brenner, and this likeness has been used continuously since 1909. The reverse (tails side) has seen several changes throughout its history, starting with a design featuring two wheat stalks.
- Reverse Design Changes:
– Wheat Pennies (1909-1958): The original reverse design featured two sheaves of wheat, leading to the nickname “Wheat Penny”.
– Lincoln Memorial (1959-2008): In 1959, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, the reverse was updated to showcase an image of the Lincoln Memorial, designed by Frank Gasparro.
– Bicentennial Series (2009): To celebrate Lincoln’s 200th birthday in 2009, the Mint released four different pennies throughout the year, each with a unique reverse design representing a different aspect of Lincoln’s life.
– Union Shield (2010-Present): Since 2010, the reverse of the Lincoln Cent has featured a Union Shield design, symbolizing the preservation of the United States as a single, united country.
- Composition: The Lincoln Cent’s composition has undergone several changes over time. It was originally struck in 95% copper, with the remaining 5% consisting of tin and zinc. However, due to wartime demands in 1943, the composition was temporarily switched to zinc-coated steel. After returning to its original composition, rising copper prices in 1982 led to a change to copper-plated zinc. This new composition, consisting of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, is still in use today. Special collector versions of the 2009 Bicentennial Lincoln Cents were struck in the original 95% copper composition.
- Value and Collectibility: While many Lincoln Cents hold only their face value, certain key dates, mintmarks, and error coins can be worth considerably more , ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.
- Rarity: Key dates with low mintages or specific varieties tend to be more valuable.
- Condition: The condition of a coin (its grade) significantly impacts its value. Uncirculated (MS) and Proof coins in high grades typically command higher prices. The original color of the coin can also affect value, particularly for copper coins.
- Errors and Varieties: Coins with errors or specific varieties, such as doubled dies or specific mintmark variations, can be exceptionally rare and valuable. Examples include the 1909-S V.D.B., the 1922 Plain, the 1943 bronze cents, and the 1955 Doubled Die.
- Mintmarks: The mintmark (P, D, S, or W) indicates where the coin was minted, located on the obverse below the date.
- Doubled Die Varieties: Look for distinct doubling in the date or lettering, not just blurring.
- Compositional Errors: The 1943 bronze cent (instead of steel) and the 1944 steel cent (instead of copper) are significant error coins. A magnet can help determine if a 1943 cent is steel (sticks to the magnet) or bronze (does not stick).
In conclusion, the Abraham Lincoln coin, or Lincoln Cent, has a long and interesting history, with various designs and compositions throughout its existence. Certain key dates and varieties are highly sought after by collectors, making it an exciting area of numismatics.
What coin was Abraham Lincoln on?
I can help with that. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential $1 Coin honors the 16th President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, near Hodgenville, Ky., into a poor frontier family. A self-taught lawyer, he also served in the Illinois legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives.
Which Lincoln coins are worth money?
1998-P Wide AM: $25.
1995-D Doubled Die: $50.
1970-S Small Date High 7: $60.
1984-P Doubled Die Ear: $250.
1960-D Small D Over Large D: $200-$500.
1983-P Doubled Die Reverse: $400.
1992-D Close AM: $500.
1999-P Wide AM: $540.
What’s the rarest $1 coin?
Among them, the 1884 and 1885 Trade Dollar coins are exceptionally rare, with only ten and five known to exist, respectively. In fact, in 2006, one 1884 Trade Dollar was auctioned for a staggering $3.3 million! But even more common dates of these dollar coins can be worth a lot of money, especially in higher grades.