INDEX
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.
Specifications
Bronze and brass, 1909–1982
- Composition
- 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc (no silver)
- Fineness
- 0.0%
- Weight
- 3.11 g
- Diameter
- 19.0 mm
- Metal content
- 0.0000 oz
- Years Produced
- 1909–present
Metal content and melt value by era
| Era | Years | Weight | Fineness | Metal content | Melt value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze and brass | 1909–1982 | 3.11 g | 0.0% | No precious metal | No melt value |
| Copper-plated zinc | 1982–present | 2.50 g | 0.0% | No precious metal | No melt value |
- 1944–1982 cents are brass; the 1943 issue is zinc-coated steel.