Is This the End of the Lincoln Cent?

The “Union Shield” theme is the current design of the U.S. one cent coin. The U.S. Mint first issued this design in 2010. The obverse (heads) shows the image of President Abraham Lincoln used on the penny since 1909. The shield on the reverse (tails) represents Lincoln’s preservation of the United States as a single country.

The penny was one of the first coins made by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792. The design on the first penny was of a woman with flowing hair symbolizing liberty. The coin was larger and made of pure copper, while today’s smaller coin is made of copper and zinc.  Various changes have occurred since 1792 including the "Flying Eagle" and the "Indian Head" depiction up until 1909.  

Up until this point, it has been spectulation that the Lincoln Cent would be phased out due to increased consumer prices making the penny a denomination that no longer has any use.  The penny also has production costs which far exceed the value of the coins put into circulation each year costing almost 4 cents to produce.  This past week, the Treasury Department has confirmed that they have ordered their last batch of production blanks.  Once these are depleted, there will be no new coins produced.  It is estimated that this may be in late 2025 or early 2026.  Currently, the penny is produced at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints.  (The SF mint produces the proof coin found in the annual proof sets).  Demand remains strong for all variations of the penny including the 2025 Proof version in PF70.  

Stay tuned for new updates as well as offerings of the Lincoln Cent and other variaties at SilverStax.