2020-D Lincoln Shield Cent
Circulation strike struck at the Denver Mint · 4,035,600,000 made
- Mintage
- 4,035,600,000
- Metal
- 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating
- Weight
- 2.5 g
- Diameter
- 19.05 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 2020-D Lincoln Shield Cent worth?
A worn 2020-D is a spender: face value. A bright uncirculated one, or one with a known error, is worth setting aside.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 2020-D Lincoln Shield Cent rare?
- No. 4 billion were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Where is the mint mark on a 2020 Lincoln Shield Cent?
- On the obverse, below the date. Philadelphia cents have no mint mark, except the 2017-P (struck for the Mint's 225th anniversary). On this coin the mark is D, for Denver.
- Which Denver dates near 2020 are scarcer?
- The 2025-D at 645,200,000, the 2024-D at 1,513,200,000, the 2023-D at 2,260,800,000, plus 4 more. So the 2020-D is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 2020-D Lincoln Shield Cent coins were made?
- 4,035,600,000.
What to check on your 2020-D
- Make sure the mint mark really is a D. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 2020 (3.6 billion made).
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 2020-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof (777,913 made) is the one to compare with.
- Bubbles, peeling or gray patches on a zinc cent are corrosion of the copper plating, not a minting error. They don't add value.
- Judge the grade under good light. Modern zinc cents are judged on luster and eye appeal; spots, scratches and plating flaws lower value. Proofs are graded for cameo contrast (CAM / DCAM).
With 4 billion made, the 2020-D still turns up in everyday change. Keep yours only if it looks uncirculated or shows a variety; otherwise it's worth face value.
The story of the 2020-D
Output at Denver climbed to 4,035,600,000 in 2020, from 3.5 billion the year before. The next year it made 4 billion (2021-D).
2020 came to 3.6 billion, so neither mint's 2020 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Denver struck the Lincoln Shield Cent in 16 issues between 2010 and 2025. By mintage this one lands in the more common half, while the key for that mint is the 2025-D (645,200,000). No Lincoln Shield Cent of the 2020s had a bigger run.
Reverse proofs, West Point cents and the pandemic (2018 to 2021)
In 2018 the San Francisco Mint made a reverse proof cent for a 50th anniversary set, with frosted fields and mirror designs. In 2019 West Point struck cents for the first time with a W mint mark in three finishes: uncirculated, proof and reverse proof, each included as a bonus in a collector set. These W cents quickly became popular.
The coronavirus pandemic in 2020 disrupted the flow of coins. Businesses posted signs asking for exact change. The Federal Reserve and the Mint formed a task force to address the circulation problem, while cent production stayed between about 3.5 and 4 billion a year at each mint. Most circulating coins of this era look new, but proofs and special finishes are the main collector focus.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 2020
West Point again struck quarters with a W mint mark for circulation, this time on all five 2020 designs.
How to recognize it
The reverse shows a union shield with a scroll reading ONE CENT across it, with E PLURIBUS UNUM above and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the top. The shield stands for Lincoln's work to preserve the Union. The obverse keeps the Lincoln portrait, with the date and any mint mark to the right.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Lincoln Shield Cent (2010–present) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
| Mint | Denver Mint |
| Mint mark | "D" |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 4,035,600,000 |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating |
| Weight | 2.5 grams |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Lyndall Bass (reverse), sculpted by Joseph Menna |
Other 2020 Lincoln Shield Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Lincoln Shield Cent | 3,560,800,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2020-D Lincoln Shield Cent | 4,035,600,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2020-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof | 777,913 | Proof | – |
Mintage: Lincoln cent mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.