U.S. coin series
Lincoln memorial cent
United States 1 cent, 1959–2008
A U.S. one-cent coin with Lincoln on the obverse and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse. This reverse replaced wheat ears in 1959 and was itself replaced by the Union Shield reverse in 2010 (after 2009 bicentennial reverses).
Visible identification features
- Obverse still Lincoln; date at right
- Reverse: Lincoln Memorial with a tiny Lincoln statue visible in the center on a sharp strike
- Copper-plated zinc from 1982 onward (some 1982 dates exist in both compositions)
Why people photograph these
These are the cents most people grew up with. They are often mistaken for wheat cents in poor photos of the reverse. Identification is the reverse building vs wheat, plus the date.
Lookalikes
- Lincoln wheat cent
Wheat reverse (two stalks) instead of the Memorial building. Wheat cents end in 1958.
Next steps
- Shoot the reverse straight-on. Wheat vs Memorial is the first split.
- Not an appraisal. Composition (pre-/post-1982) matters more than “old penny” stories.
Sources
- Lincoln Cents (1909–date) — U.S. Mint
Updated 2026-08-19. Claims are limited to these sources.