The Lincoln Cent Centennial

In 2009 the Lincoln Cent will celebrate its 100th birthday. This will also mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. To celebrate the occasion, there are many special events planned.

The Lincoln Cent was first introduced in 1909 to celebrate the 100th anniversary Lincoln's birth. The coin was designed by Vincent D. Brenner. The obverse was based on a photograph of President Lincoln taken by Matthew Brady. The original reverse design of the Lincoln Cent featured a pair of Wheat Ears.

The coin was unique at the time since it was the first circulating US coin to bear the image of an actual person. All previous coins had featured the image of the mythical Liberty figure. The coin also sparked some controversy initially after its launch due to the prominent placement of the designer's initials "V.D.B." The positioning of the initials was later changed.

Starting in 1959, to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, the reverse design of the coin was changed. The new design featured a rendition of the Lincoln Memorial by Frank Gasparro. An image of the Lincoln Monument is also visible within the Memorial.

It is only fitting that another change will take place in 2009 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. A series of four different reverse designs will be used throughout the year, with a new design released approximately every three months. Each will represent a different stage in Lincoln's life. The designs will cover his birth in Kentucky, his formative years in Indiana, his professional life in Illiniois, and his Presidency in Washington, D.C.

In addition to the rotating reverse designs, special collectors versions of the 2009 Lincoln Cent will be issued in the coin's original composition. The coin's current composition is predominantly zinc. The original composition was 97.5% copper and 2.5% zinc and tin. These copper versions of the 2009 Lincoln Cent would likely be issued only in special sets for coin collectors.

The celebration will conclude with a fifth, brand new reverse design for the Lincoln Cent. This design would be used starting in 2010 and become the new permanent reverse. The design will be emblematic of the legacy of Lincoln and his preservation of the United States as a unified country.

Michael Zielinski is an internet entrepreneur and coin collector. Find more information about 2009 Lincoln Cents or follow the latest coin releases from the US Mint on Mint News Blog.