The First Coin to Honor an American Leader

For more than one hundred years, America's circulating coin designs had held to a tradition of depicting representations of Liberty on the obverse. However, by the 1909 centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, the idea of honoring an actual person had gained acceptance. So, the Lincoln penny became the first regular-issue U.S. coin to depict an actual person, rather than an allegorical figure.

When the Lincoln cent was released in August 1909, no one was prepared for the level of public demand. People formed long lines at banks and sub-treasury offices in their eagerness to get the new coins. And, even though the distribution points limited the number available to each person, signs soon announced "no more Lincoln pennies."

Designer Victor David Brenner and His Infamous Initials

After the Lincoln penny’s release, journalists seized upon Brenner’s initials on the reverse – V.D.B. – as egotism on the designer's part. The prominence of the initials was widely criticized in the media. So, just days after the coin's release, production was halted and new coins, minus the V.D.B., were released.

Errors & Varieties Create Collector Excitement

As a series, Lincoln cents have produced several exciting errors and varieties. First-year 1909 “V.D.B.” cents are always popular, especially those from San Francisco. Other collector favorites include the 1955 Doubled Die Obverse and the 1922 Plain cent (struck at the Denver Mint without a mint mark). As well as both Large- and Small-Date varieties issued in 1960, 1970 and 1982.

Lincoln Head Cent Reverse Designs

Brenner's original reverse design featured a simple yet bold inscription of one cent framed by two stylized ears of wheat. For this reason, it is known as the Wheat Reverse, Wheat penny or simply "Wheatie." This reverse was used through 1958 and has become an enduring favorite of collectors. In 1959, the reverse was redesigned for the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth (and the 50th anniversary of the Lincoln cent). The new reverse featured the iconic Lincoln Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial pennies were issued until 2009.

For 2009 pennies, the Mint celebrated both the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth and 100 years of the Lincoln cent with four new reverse designs representing four major stages of the 16th president's life. The unique reverses on the Abraham Lincoln one cent coin honored his birthplace, formative years, professional life and presidency. Following these, Shield pennies were introduced in 2010 with a new reverse featuring a Union Shield to symbolize Lincoln's preservation of the United States during the Civil War. Minted until the denomination was retired in 2025, they are the final series of U.S. cents. However, the Mint plans to continue minting pennies in limited quantities for collectible sets.

Special Mint Mark Issues

More recently, special mint marks have adorned the Abraham Lincoln penny. In 2017, the Philadelphia Mint struck cents with a "P" mint mark to honor the 225th anniversary of the U.S. Mint. This was a first, as previous Lincoln cents from Philadelphia bore no mint mark. Two years later, in 2019, the Mint celebrated the 110th anniversary of the Lincoln cent by issuing three unique, special-issue "W" mint mark cents struck by the West Point Mint. And for the nation's 250th anniversary, the Mint will include 1776-2026 dual-dated cents in collectible sets.

Additionally, the final 2025 cents were auctioned off in special sets by the Mint. Each 3-coin set contained circulating 2025 cents from the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, plus a the first-ever 99.99% pure (24K) gold cents (one per set, struck in Philadelphia). A total of 232 sets were issued, with each coin distinguished by a unique Omega (Ω) privy mark denoting its status as one of the last-struck circulating U.S. cents. The 232 sets sold at auction for over $16.7 million, with individual sets selling for between $48K to more than $800K each!

For an easy way to keep track of your Lincoln penny collection, we recommend our handy online checklist. We’ve also created FREE resources you can use to teach the younger generation more about the beloved Lincoln cent, including a lesson plan, informative collecting card and illustrated collector guide!

Additional Lincoln Cent Resources

• Lincoln Cent Checklist
• Beginner’s Guide to Lincoln Cents
• FREE Collectors Guide to Lincoln Head Cents
• Lincoln Cent Designs 1909-Date