Lincoln Memorial Cents 1959-2008

About This Series

Debuting on Lincoln's 150th birthday, Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse replaced the wheat ears design, creating a fifty-year run producing billions of cents across Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The obverse retained Victor David Brenner's beloved Lincoln portrait. A landmark compositional change occurred in mid-1982: bronze (95% copper) gave way to copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc) to combat rising copper costs. The 1982 transitional year produced seven distinct collectible types across both compositions and date sizes. Key varieties include the 1960 Small Date/Large Date pairs, the celebrated 1972 doubled die obverse with dramatic doubling on IN GOD WE TRUST, the 1969-S doubled die, and the rare 1990 No S proof struck without its mintmark. Die variety collectors have documented thousands of repunched mintmarks and die clashes. Weighing 3.11 grams in bronze or 2.5 grams in zinc at 19 mm diameter, the Lincoln Memorial cent remains the most widely collected American denomination.