Articles about various Small Cent Pennies in U.S. History
The Small Cent (1856 - Present)
1. Flying Eagle Cent (1856 - 1858)
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The Flying Eagle Cent was introduced in 1856 as the United States' first small cent! The coin was designed by Mint Chief Engraver James B Longacre, with the eagle in flight based on the work of Longacre's predecessor, Christian Gobrecht. The mint decided on an alloy of 88% copper and 12% nickel. The new cent was issued in exchange for the worn Spanish Colonial Silver coin that had circulated in the U.S. until then as well as the large cent. The flying eagle design did not strike well, so it was replaced in 1859 by Longacre's Indian Head Cent.
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2. Indian Head Cent (1859 - 1909)
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Again designed by James Barton Longacre, Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia mint. From 1793 to 1857 the penny was a copper coin about the size of a half dollar. After the discovery of gold in California, the prices of precious metals inflated. Copper rose while gold became more abundant. The mint began to look for alternatives. In 1857 the Mint reduced the size of the cent and changed the composition to 12% nickel and 88% copper, first started with the Flying Eagle cent. Cents were hoarded during the economic chaos of the American Civil War when the metal nickel was in short supply. In postwar period, the cent became very popular and was struck in large numbers in most years. An exception was 1877 (852,500 coins minted) when a poor economy and little demand for cents created one of the rarest dates in the series. In 1909, the 1909-S Indian head penny only produced 309,000 pennies making it the lowest mintage of the series!
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3. Lincoln Cent (1909 - Present)
The Lincoln cent was introduced in 1909. President Theodore Roosevelt "hired" sculptor Victor David Brenner, who was designing a medal for the Panama Canal Commission. The 1909 Penny was the only year that featured his initials on the bottom of the reverse side of the penny. "V.D.B" can be noticed on the 1909 and the 1909-S. There were also copies of this year without his initials making the total collecting number of 1909 pennies to six. 1909 Indian Head penny, the 1909-S Indian Head penny, the 1909 Lincoln penny, the 1909 VDB, the 1909-S Lincoln penny, and the 1909-S VDB Lincoln penny. We are splitting the Lincoln Penny in four groups since the reverse side changed in 1959, 2009, and 2010.
a. The Lincoln Wheat Penny (1909 - 1958)
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The Wheat Penny is the first Lincoln penny design. It was minted from 1909 to 1958. You can still find the Wheat penny once in a while in circulation. During WWII the Wheat penny was struck in steel making it commonly known as the "Steel Penny". The three mint's that struck during these times were Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver.
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b. The Lincoln Memorial Penny (1959 - 2008)
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The Memorial reverse was released on February 12th, 1959, which was the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. Numismatic historian Walter Breen described the design as "an artistic disaster" because to many people the Memorial building looked like a Trolley car.
In 1973 (due to Copper rising in price, and people hoarding pennies in hopes of profiting), the Mint decided to switch to an aluminum cent. The aluminum jammed vending machines so Congress quickly changed the metal. In 1974 a composition of copper and zinc in the alloy were minted. In 1981, faced with another rise in the price of copper, the Mint decided to change composition of the cent to copper-covered zinc. The first such cents were struck at the West Point Mint on January 7th, 1982. Denver did not convert until October 21. The 1982 Penny has 7 different coins to collect. 1982 Copper Large Date, 1982 Copper Small Date, 1982 Zinc Large date, 1982 Zinc Small date, 1982-D Copper large date, 1982-D Zinc Large date, and the 1982-D Zinc Small Date. |
c. The 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial (2009)
Birth and Early Childhood in KY
Professional Life in IL
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Formative Years in IN
Presidency in DC
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The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 requires that the Cent's reverse be redesigned for 2009, and that four designs be issued to celebrate the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennnial (marking his 200th birthday). The 4 reverse designs are:
1. Birth and Early Childhood in KY: This design features a log cabin. This design was released on his 200th birthday (February 12th, 2009).
2. Formative years in IN: This design features a young Lincoln reading while taking a break from rail splitting.
3. Professional Life in IL: This design features a Lincoln as a young lawyer, standing before the Springfield IL State Capitol.
4. Presidency in Washington DC: This design features a half completed Capitol Dome.
1. Birth and Early Childhood in KY: This design features a log cabin. This design was released on his 200th birthday (February 12th, 2009).
2. Formative years in IN: This design features a young Lincoln reading while taking a break from rail splitting.
3. Professional Life in IL: This design features a Lincoln as a young lawyer, standing before the Springfield IL State Capitol.
4. Presidency in Washington DC: This design features a half completed Capitol Dome.
d. The Lincoln Union Shield (2010 - present)
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The 2005 act that authorized the redesign for the Bicentennial stated that another redesigned reverse for the lincoln cent will be minted which shows the President Lincoln's preservation of the U.S.A as a single and united country. 18 designed were proposed for the 2010 cent. The new Union Shield replaced the Memorial Reverse which was used from 1959 - 2008. Save the memorial pennies! They will be collected like Wheat Pennies some day!
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