Common, scarce and rare U.S.
Small Cents (
Flying Eagle to
Lincoln Shield) at Mintmark.com.
"
CENT (UNITED STATES COIN)—The United States one-cent coin is a unit of currency equaling one one-hundredth of a United States
dollar. Its symbol is: ˘. Its obverse has featured the profile of President
Abraham Lincoln since 1909, the centennial of his birth. Since 1959 (the sesquicentennial of Lincoln's birth), the reverse has featured the
Lincoln Memorial. The coin is 0.75 inches (19.05 mm) in diameter and 0.061 inches (1.55 mm) in thickness. The one-cent coin is often called a
penny, but the
U.S. Mint's official name for this coin is
cent.
History of composition—. . . The isotope composition of early coins spanning the period of 1828 to 1843 cents reflects that of copper from
Cornwall ores from England while coins after 1850 that from the
Keweenaw Peninsula, Michigan ores, a finding consistent with historical records. In 1943, at the peak of
World War II,
cents of zinc-coated steel were made for a short time due to war demands for copper. A few copper cents from 1943 were produced from the 1942
planchets remaining in the bins. Similarly, some 1944 steel cents have been confirmed. From 1944 through 1946, salvaged ammunition shells made their way into the minting process, and it was not uncommon to see
coins featuring streaks of brass or having a considerably darker finish than other issues. During the early 1970s, the price of copper rose to a point where the cent almost contained more than one cent's worth of copper. This led the
Mint to test alternate metals, including aluminum and bronze-clad steel. Aluminum was chosen, and over 1.5 million of these cents were struck and ready for public release before ultimately being rejected. The proposed aluminum cents were rejected due to two factors. Vending machine owners complained the coins would cause mechanical problems. Pediatricians and pediatric radiologists pointed out the
radiodensity of the metal inside the
respiratory and
gastrointestinal tracts was close to that of soft tissue and therefore would be difficult to detect in a
roentgenogram. About a dozen aluminum cents are believed to still be in the hands of collectors, although they are now considered illegal, subject to seizure by the
Secret Service. One aluminum cent was donated to the
Smithsonian Institution. The cent's composition was changed in 1982 because the value of the copper in the coin started to rise above one cent. Some 1982 cents use the 97.5% zinc composition, while others used the 95% copper composition. The price of copper later returned to profitable levels. Many people can hear the difference between the bronze and copper cents and the newer, zinc cents: simply flip the coin, giving it a good, solid strike. The predominantly copper pennies produce a ringing sound in the 12 kHz range. The zinc coins make a noise that is different. In addition, a full 50-penny roll of pre-1982/3 pennies will weigh 5.4 oz. compared to a post 1982/83 roll which will weigh 4.4 oz . . ." —
Cent (United States coin) at Wikipedia. Edited and (or) revised by Mintmark.com
Update: New U.S. cent reverse—On 11 February 2010,
Lincoln Shield Cents were released into general circulation. The reverse features a union shield with a scroll draped across and the inscription
ONE CENT (
learn more). To purchase these new cents, please visit
Lincoln Shield Cents.
In 2009, the U.S. Lincoln cent reverse design was changed once again; 2009 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln and the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln cent. The coin features a series of four different designs which were released approximately every three months during 2009. Each of the designs represents different stages in the life of Abraham Lincoln: (1)
Birth in Kentucky (1809-16); (2)
Formative Years in Indiana (1816-30); (3)
Professional Life in Illinois (1830-61); (4)
Presidency in Washington DC (1861-65). (Additionally, the Secretary of the Treasury has the authority to mint and issue numismatic coins with the original composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc.) Also, this year (2010),
Lincoln Shield Cents were released which feature a brand new reverse design for the Lincoln cent (
see above).
Update: Fourth 2009 new cent—
Presidency in Washington DC (1861-65)—was released into general circulation on 12 November 2009 (a limited number of proof coins are now available). To purchase this new coin, please visit
Lincoln President Cents.
Update: Third 2009 new cent—
Professional Life in Illinois (1830-61)—was released into general circulation on 13 August 2009. To purchase this new coin, please visit
Lincoln Lawyer Cents.
Update: Second 2009 new cent—
Formative Years in Indiana (1816-30)—was released into general circulation 14 May 2009 in Lincoln City, Indiana. These coins are now often being called
Lincoln Rail Splitter Cents. To purchase this new coin, please visit
Lincoln Rail Splitter Cents.
Update: First 2009 new cent—
Birth in Kentucky (1809-16)—was released into general circulation on 12 Feb. 2009 in Hodgenville, Kentucky. These coins are now often being called
Lincoln Log Cabin Cents. To purchase this new coin, please visit
Lincoln Log Cabin Cents.
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