Lincoln Cent

About This Series

Victor David Brenner designed the Lincoln cent for the centennial of Lincoln's birth in 1909 - the first US circulating coin to feature a real person rather than an allegorical figure. Brenner's initials "VDB" appeared on the reverse of the 1909 Philadelphia and San Francisco coins; the initials were quickly removed amid complaints, making the 1909-S VDB the key date. The reverse changed in 1959 from wheat ears to the Lincoln Memorial, then to a Union Shield in 2010. Steel cents from 1943 and the 1955 doubled die are among the most recognized varieties; the 1914-D is the key date among wheat cents.