Lincoln Bicentennial Cent Values & Mintages
For the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth and the centennial of the Lincoln cent, the Mint issued four reverses in 2009, each marking a chapter of his life: his birthplace log cabin in Kentucky, his formative years in Indiana, his professional life in Illinois and his presidency in Washington, D.C.
- Years
- 2009
- Issues listed
- 20
- Lowest mintage
- 129.6M
- Diameter
- 19.05 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip.
Circulation coins were copper-plated zinc, but the Mint also struck satin-finish collector versions in the original 1909 bronze alloy for its uncirculated sets.
Designer: Four reverse designs by Richard Masters, Charles Vickers, Joel Iskowitz and Susan Gamble.
Key dates: lowest mintages
See all 20 →All 4 designs
Every Lincoln Bicentennial Cent by year and mint
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Composition by year
| Years | Metal | Weight | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating | 2.5 g | – |
Mint mark location
2009: On the obverse, below the date. Philadelphia cents have no mint mark.
Grading tips
Modern cents are judged mainly by surface quality and luster. Look for a full, crisp design and the absence of spots or zinc "bubbling" under the plating.
The law behind four designs
The Bicentennial cents were authorized by the same 2005 law that set up the Presidential dollar program. One section required four reverse designs in 2009 for the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, followed by a permanent design showing Lincoln's preservation of the United States as a single country. That second requirement produced the Shield cent of 2010.
The four coins were released in stages through 2009: the log cabin birthplace in February, the Indiana formative years design in May, the Illinois professional life design in August and the Capitol presidency design in November.
What each reverse shows
The birthplace coin shows the Kentucky log cabin. The formative years coin shows young Lincoln taking a break from rail splitting to read a book. The professional life design shows him standing in front of the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. The presidency design shows the half-finished dome of the US Capitol, as it looked during his time in office.
Collecting all the versions
Each design exists in zinc circulation strikes from Philadelphia and Denver, in bronze satin-finish coins from the same mints sold in collector sets and in San Francisco proofs. Collectors can tell the bronze collector coins by their weight of 3.11 grams against 2.5 grams for zinc. Check zinc cents for plating bubbles, which are common. A complete set of every version shows how much variety one year of a single denomination can hold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rarest Lincoln Bicentennial Cent?
By mintage, the scarcest regular circulation issue is the 2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent with 129,600,000 struck, followed by the 2009-D Presidency Lincoln Cent (198,000,000). Survival rates and condition also matter: some higher-mintage dates are scarce in top grades.
Are Lincoln Bicentennial Cents silver?
2009: 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating.
Where is the mint mark on a Lincoln Bicentennial Cent?
2009: On the obverse, below the date. Philadelphia cents have no mint mark.
How many Lincoln Bicentennial Cents were made?
About 2,354,000,000 for circulation across 8 date and mint combinations, from 376,000,000 for the 2009 Formative Years Lincoln Cent down to 129,600,000 for the 2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent.
Who designed the Lincoln Bicentennial Cent?
Four reverse designs by Richard Masters, Charles Vickers, Joel Iskowitz and Susan Gamble.
Why does the 2009 cent have four different backs?
Congress required four reverses in 2009 to mark the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, each showing a stage of his life.
Other cents
Flowing Hair Large Cent
1793 · 2 issues
Liberty Cap Large Cent
1793–1796 · 6 issues
Draped Bust Large Cent
1796–1807 · 13 issues
Classic Head Large Cent
1808–1815 · 8 issues
Coronet (Matron Head) Large Cent
1816–1839 · 49 issues
Braided Hair Large Cent
1839–1857 · 39 issues
Flying Eagle Cent
1856–1858 · 7 issues
Indian Head Cent
1859–1909 · 108 issues
Lincoln Wheat Cent
1909–1958 · 178 issues
Lincoln Memorial Cent
1959–2008 · 166 issues
Lincoln Shield Cent
2010–present · 52 issues
Mintages from Wikipedia's US Mint-sourced tables (CC BY-SA 4.0). Specifications from US Mint records. All sources.