2023-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 369,236 made
- Mintage
- 369,236
- 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 2023-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 2023-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 369,236 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Where is the mint mark on a 2023 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 S, for San Francisco.
- How many 2023-S Lincoln Shield Cent proofs were made?
- 369,236.
What to check on your 2023-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 2023-D (2.3 billion made).
- 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).
Proofs from 2023 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 2023-S
Declining output and the end of the cent (2022 to 2025)
Cent production fell steadily in these years as the cost of making each coin climbed above three cents. Output dropped to about 2.3 billion per mint in 2023 and to about 1.7 billion at Philadelphia in 2024. In 2025 the Treasury announced it would stop ordering new cent blanks. Only about 655 million cents were struck at Philadelphia and 645 million at Denver.
The last circulating cents were struck at the Philadelphia Mint in November 2025, ending production after more than 230 years. A small number of final cents were struck with an omega privy mark for collectors. Proof cents from San Francisco continued in collector sets through 2025. With no new cents being made, existing coins continue to circulate. Many people are now saving 2025 cents as the end of an era.
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 | 2023 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 369,236 |
| 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 2023 Lincoln Shield Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Lincoln Shield Cent | 2,262,000,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2023-D Lincoln Shield Cent | 2,260,800,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 2023-S Lincoln Shield Cent Proof | 369,236 | 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.