US · Cent · 1959–2008
Lincoln Memorial Cent (1959–2008)
Replaced the wheat reverse for the Lincoln centennial. Composition shifted from bronze to copper-plated zinc mid-1982 in response to rising copper prices — both compositions exist for that year. Replaced in 2009 by the Bicentennial four-design reverses.
i.
Reference photos
Obverse
Photo: US Mint (coin) (Victor David Brenner, designer of obverse, Frank Gasparro, designer of reverse), National Numismatic Collection (Jaclyn Nash) (image) / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US-00010-One_Cent_(1974)_Aluminum.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1974Aluminumfront.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: theilr / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-2.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Penny_penny_(6786386356).jpg (cc-by-sa-2.0) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_2005_01.png (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: brownpau / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_coins_11.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: frankieleon / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-2.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Penny_Pinching_(3409097491).jpg (cc-by-2.0) 
Photo: Jomegat / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rana_sylvatica_6021.jpeg (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Probably the U.S. Department of Energy / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RHU_parts.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_2000.jpg (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_2006_02.png (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_1991_02.png (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: brownpau / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_coins_09.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: brownpau / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_coins_12.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: Robert A. Hoff (ParkPennies.com) / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-4.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Small-penny-in-bottle.png (cc-by-sa-4.0) 
Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_penny_2003.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: 我的姓名(Zjc263) / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%E4%B8%80%E7%BE%8E%E5%88%86%E8%83%8C%E9%9D%A2.jpg (public-domain) 
Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_penny,_obverse,_2002.png (public-domain) 
Photo: Ed Poor / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zoom_H4_Digital_Recorder.png (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Roman Oleinik / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._pennies,_2008.jpg (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Souvenir_Spoon_from_Fords_Theatre,_Washington_DC.jpg (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_03.jpg (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_2006.jpg (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Nicholas Gemini / Wikimedia Commons (cc-by-sa-3.0) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_cents_1991_01.png (cc-by-sa-3.0) 
Photo: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons (public-domain) — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:U.S._cent.jpg (public-domain)
ii.
Specifications
| Designer | Frank Gasparro (reverse); Victor David Brenner (obverse) |
|---|---|
| Composition | 95% copper / 5% zinc (1959–1982); 97.5% zinc / 2.5% copper plating (1982–2008) |
| Weight | 3.11 g |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Series | Lincoln Memorial Cent |
| Years issued | 1959–2008 |
iii.
Key dates & varieties
| Year | Mintmark | Variety | Mintage | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | P | Small Date | — | semi-key |
| 1969 | S | Doubled Die Obverse | — | key |
| 1972 | P | Doubled Die Obverse | — | key |
| 1995 | P | Doubled Die Obverse | — | semi-key |
iv.
All varieties
| Year | Mintmark | Variety | Mintage | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | P | Small Date | — | semi-key |
| 1969 | S | Doubled Die Obverse | — | key |
| 1972 | P | Doubled Die Obverse | — | key |
| 1982 | P | Copper composition | — | common |
| 1995 | P | Doubled Die Obverse | — | semi-key |