2021 Lincoln Shield Cent
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 3,925,820,000 made
- Mintage
- 3,925,820,000
- 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 2021 Lincoln Shield Cent worth?
Worn examples are worth face value and can be spent. Keep it only if it looks uncirculated or shows a known variety.
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 2021 Lincoln Shield Cent rare?
- No. 3.9 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 2021 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).
- Which Philadelphia dates near 2021 are scarcer?
- The 2025 at 655,200,000, the 2024 at 1,712,000,000, the 2023 at 2,262,000,000, plus 3 more. So the 2021 is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 2021 Lincoln Shield Cent coins were made?
- 3,925,820,000.
What to check on your 2021
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 2021-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof (816,662 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 3.9 billion made, the 2021 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 2021
Output at Philadelphia climbed to 3,925,820,000 in 2021, from 3.6 billion the year before. The next year it made 3.1 billion (2022).
2021-D came to 4 billion, so neither mint's 2021 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Philadelphia 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 (655,200,000). Within the 2020s it's 10th smallest of 12, between the 2020 (3.6 billion) and the 2021-D (4 billion).
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 2021
The America the Beautiful quarter program ended and a new reverse showing General Washington crossing the Delaware took its place. Morgan and Peace dollars were struck again for their centennial.
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 | 2021 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 3,925,820,000 |
| 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 2021 Lincoln Shield Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Lincoln Shield Cent | 3,925,820,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2021-D Lincoln Shield Cent | 3,982,800,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2021-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof | 816,662 | 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.