Lincoln Cent (Modern) (1959 to Present)

Overview

Since the Lincoln Cent was celebrating its 50th anniversary in 1959, it was about time that it underwent a redesign. An image of the Lincoln Memorial was substituted for the Wheat Reverse on the current Lincoln Cent, which was struck from 1959 to the present day. In 2010, the Shield Reverse was ultimately chosen to replace the Wheat Reverse. This change marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of one of the coins that has been collected the most in the history of the United States.

• • On the obverse, Brenner's original image of Abraham Lincoln looking right was preserved. The words "IN GOD WE TRUST" were engraved above the portrait, "LIBERTY" was written to the left, and the year was written on the right.
• • The Lincoln Memorial was featured on the reverse side of the coin, which also had the words "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and "E PLURIBUS UNUM" written above it and "ONE CENT" written below it.

It started with five percent tin and ninety-five percent copper and zinc. But in 1982 it comprised 2.5% copper and 97.5% zinc.

• • There are several notable variations, the most uncommon of which is the 1990-S No Mintmark. This variant was produced when a worker at the Philadelphia Mint forgot to add the mintmark before sending the die to San Francisco.
• • Each of the Doubled Die Obverse from 1972, the Doubled Die Reverse from 1983, and the Doubled Ear from 1984 are examples of types that are not only popular but also very coveted and precious.
• • In 1982, the composition of the Cent was changed from bronze to copper-plated zinc; the amount of weight that each of these pieces has makes it simple to differentiate between them. The older bronze pieces are presently in demand since the value of the copper is either comparable to or exceeds the face value of the item.

To commemorate the two-hundredth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth and the one-hundredth anniversary of the Lincoln Cent, the United States Mint struck four unique cents in 2009. Each of these cents depicted a different period of Lincoln's life.

• • A log cabin, which represents Lincoln's poor origins in Kentucky, is depicted in the Birth and Early Childhood (1809-1816) painting depicting Lincoln.
• • It depicts Abraham Lincoln as a young man reading while taking a break from rail-splitting during his formative years, which lasted from 1816 to 1830.
• • During his professional life, which spanned from 1830 to 1861, Abraham Lincoln frequently appeared in front of the Illinois State Capitol, which served as a symbol of his political career.
• • It depicts the incomplete dome of the United States Capitol, which was a symbol of the nation's separation during the Civil War. The presidency lasted from 1861 to 1865.

Also, major changes were done to the Lincoln Cent in 2010 Originally designed by Lyndall Bass, a Union Shield was finally substituted for the other pattern. This design shows Lincoln's contribution in preserving the Union during the Civil War, therefore transcending the imagery usually connected with the Lincoln Memorial.