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LINCOLN CENTS, WHEAT EAR REVERSE (1909-1958)
Images courtesy of Heritage
Numismatic Auctions
Notes:
The Lincoln Cent debuted in 1909, replacing the
fifty year old Indian Head Cent design.
No other American coin design comes close to
the 93 year life span of the Lincoln Cent.
In just a few years from now, the design will
celebrate its 100th anniversary.
However, as enduring as the Lincoln Cent might
be, it came about only as the result of an interesting
set of circumstances.
In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned
the famous American sculptor and artist, Augustus
Saint-Gaudens, to prepare designs for a new Small
Cent. Initially, Saint-Gaudens' design for the
front of the coin featured a flying eagle motif similar to James
Barton Longacre's designs on the Small Cents of
1856-1858. However, this design was scrapped in
favor of a head of Victory in profile wearing an
Indian headdress. Saint-Gaudens and Roosevelt
liked this design so much that they used it on the
1907 $10 instead of on the Cent. Saint-Gaudens
died of cancer before making any more progress on the
Cent design and it was not until 1909 that Victor
David Brenner made the famous bust of Lincoln with
which we are all so familiar today. Lincoln was
chosen as the subject for the new Cent since 1909 was
the centennial of his birth. Until the
appearance of Brenner's design, no person (living or
dead) had ever appeared on a coin made for general
circulation (however, this precedent had already been
established on a few commemorative coins).
The earliest versions
of the Lincoln Cent featured Brenner's initials (V.D.B.)
near the bottom of the back of the coin.
Apparently, such a prominent display was considered
offensive, and the initials were removed later in
1909. In 1918, the initials re-appeared, this
time hidden on the truncation of Lincoln's bust.
Sources and/or
recommended reading:
Coin World, January 3, 2000, p. 20
|
COPPER PLANCHETS (1909-1942) |
Date |
Mintage for
Circulation |
Mintage of
Proofs |
Notes |
1909 V.D.B. |
27,995,000 |
1,194 |
|
1909-S V.D.B. |
484,000 |
0 |
Key date. |
1909 |
72,700,000 |
2,618 |
|
1909-S |
1,825,000 |
0 |
|
1910 |
146,798,813 |
2,405 |
|
1910-S |
6,045,000 |
0 |
|
1911 |
101,176,054 |
2,411 |
|
1911-D |
12,672,000 |
0 |
|
1911-S |
4,026,000 |
0 |
|
1912 |
68,150,915 |
2,145 |
|
1912-D |
10,411,000 |
0 |
|
1912-S |
4,431,000 |
0 |
|
1913 |
76,529,504 |
2,848 |
|
1913-D |
15,804,000 |
0 |
|
1913-S |
6,101,000 |
0 |
|
1914 |
75,237,067 |
1,365 |
|
1914-D |
1,193,000 |
0 |
Key date. |
1914-S |
4,137,000 |
0 |
|
1915 |
29,090,970 |
1,150 |
|
1915-D |
22,050,000 |
0 |
|
1915-S |
4,833,000 |
0 |
|
1916 |
131,832,627 |
1,050 |
|
1916-D |
35,956,000 |
0 |
|
1916-S |
22,510,000 |
0 |
|
1917 |
196,429,785 |
0 |
No Proofs were reported as having been minted, but definite Proofs are known - they are quite rare. |
1917-D |
55,120,000 |
0 |
|
1917-S |
32,620,000 |
0 |
|
1918 |
288,104,634 |
0 |
|
1918-D |
47,830,000 |
0 |
|
1918-S |
34,680,000 |
0 |
|
1919 |
392,021,000 |
0 |
|
1919-D |
57,154,000 |
0 |
|
1919-S |
139,760,000 |
0 |
|
1920 |
310,165,000 |
0 |
|
1920-D |
49,280,000 |
0 |
|
1920-S |
46,220,000 |
0 |
|
1921 |
39,157,000 |
0 |
|
1921-S |
15,274,000 |
0 |
|
1922-D |
7,160,000 |
0 |
|
1922 "Plain" |
0 |
This rare variety was caused when the mintmark became filled with crud on a worn die. The "Strong" reverse variety is the most desirable and valuable. |
1923 |
74,723,000 |
0 |
|
1923-S |
8,700,000 |
0 |
|
1924 |
75,178,000 |
0 |
|
1924-D |
2,520,000 |
0 |
|
1924-S |
11,696,000 |
0 |
|
1925 |
139,949,000 |
0 |
|
1925-D |
22,580,000 |
0 |
|
1925-S |
26,380,000 |
0 |
|
1926 |
157,088,000 |
0 |
|
1926-D |
28,020,000 |
0 |
|
1926-S |
4,550,000 |
0 |
|
1927 |
144,440,000 |
0 |
|
1927-D |
27,170,000 |
0 |
|
1927-S |
14,276,000 |
0 |
|
1928 |
134,116,000 |
0 |
|
1928-D |
31,170,000 |
0 |
|
1928-S |
17,266,000 |
0 |
|
1929 |
185,262,000 |
0 |
|
1929-D |
41,730,000 |
0 |
|
1929-S |
50,148,000 |
0 |
|
1930 |
157,415,000 |
0 |
|
1930-D |
40,100,000 |
0 |
|
1930-S |
24,286,000 |
0 |
|
1931 |
19,396,000 |
0 |
|
1931-D |
4,480,000 |
0 |
|
1931-S |
866,000 |
0 |
Semi-key date. |
1932 |
9,062,000 |
0 |
|
1932-D |
10,500,000 |
0 |
|
1933 |
14,360,000 |
0 |
|
1933-D |
6,200,000 |
0 |
|
1934 |
219,080,000 |
0 |
|
1934-D |
28,446,000 |
0 |
|
1935 |
245,388,000 |
0 |
|
1935-D |
47,000,000 |
0 |
|
1935-S |
38,702,000 |
0 |
|
1936 |
309,632,000 |
5,569 |
|
1936-D |
40,620,000 |
0 |
|
1936-S |
29,130,000 |
0 |
|
1937 |
309,170,000 |
9,320 |
|
1937-D |
50,430,000 |
0 |
|
1937-S |
34,500,000 |
0 |
|
1938 |
156,682,000 |
14,734 |
|
1938-D |
20,010,000 |
0 |
|
1938-S |
15,180,000 |
0 |
|
1939 |
316,466,000 |
13,520 |
|
1939-D |
15,160,000 |
0 |
|
1939-S |
52,070,000 |
0 |
|
1940 |
586,810,000 |
15,872 |
|
1940-D |
81,390,000 |
0 |
|
1940-S |
112,940,000 |
0 |
|
1941 |
887,018,000 |
21,100 |
|
1941-D |
128,700,000 |
0 |
|
1941-S |
92,360,000 |
0 |
|
1942 |
657,796,000 |
32,600 |
|
1942-D |
206,698,000 |
0 |
|
1942-S |
85,590,000 |
0 |
|
ZINC COATED STEEL PLANCHETS (1943 ONLY) |
 Images courtesy of Heritage
Numismatic Auctions |
1943 |
684,628,670 |
0 |
Production of Proofs was suspended from 1943 to 1949 because of World War II and its aftermath. Rare errors on
bronze planchets are known - beware of counterfeits (bronze
will not be attracted to a magnet). |
1943-D |
217,660,000 |
0 |
|
1943-S |
191,550,000 |
0 |
|
SHELL-CASE BRONZE PLANCHETS (1944-1945) |
1944 |
1,435,000,000 |
0 |
|
1944-D |
430,578,000 |
0 |
Look for the scarce D over S variety |
1944-S |
282,760,000 |
0 |
|
1945 |
1,040,515,000 |
0 |
|
1945-D |
266,268,000 |
0 |
|
1945-S |
181,770,000 |
0 |
|
COPPER PLANCHETS RESUMED (1946-1958) |
1946 |
991,655,000 |
0 |
|
1946-D |
315,690,000 |
0 |
|
1946-S |
198,100,000 |
0 |
|
1947 |
190,555,000 |
0 |
|
1947-D |
194,750,000 |
0 |
|
1947-S |
99,000,000 |
0 |
|
1948 |
317,570,000 |
0 |
|
1948-D |
172,637,500 |
0 |
|
1948-S |
81,735,000 |
0 |
|
1949 |
217,775,000 |
0 |
|
1949-D |
153,132,500 |
0 |
|
1949-S |
64,290,000 |
0 |
|
1950 |
272,635,000 |
51,386 |
Proof production was resumed in this year. |
1950-D |
334,950,000 |
0 |
|
1950-S |
118,505,000 |
0 |
|
1951 |
284,576,000 |
57,500 |
|
1951-D |
625,355,000 |
0 |
|
1951-S |
136,010,000 |
0 |
|
1952 |
186,775,000 |
81,980 |
|
1952-D |
746,130,000 |
0 |
|
1952-S |
137,800,004 |
0 |
|
1953 |
256,755,000 |
128,800 |
|
1953-D |
700,515,000 |
0 |
|
1953-S |
181,835,000 |
0 |
|
1954 |
71,640,050 |
233,300 |
|
1954-D |
251,552,500 |
0 |
|
1954-S |
96,190,000 |
0 |
|
1955 |
330,580,000 |
378,200 |
Look for the rare Doubled Obverse variety |
1955-D |
563,257,500 |
0 |
|
1955-S |
44,610,000 |
0 |
|
1956 |
420,745,000 |
669,384 |
|
1956-D |
1,098,201,100 |
0 |
|
1957 |
282,540,000 |
1,247,952 |
|
1957-D |
1,051,342,000 |
0 |
|
1958 |
252,525,000 |
875,652 |
|
1958-D |
800,953,300 |
0 |
Last year of the Wheat Ear Reverse type |
| 1959-D |
0 |
0 |
Unique
- suspected counterfeit |
|
