Lincoln Wheat Cents remain one of the most popular collectible coins amongst the US public, from both beginning and advanced collectors.
A Brief History of the Lincoln Wheat Cent
The design was made to commemorate 100 years since Abraham Lincoln's birth. The cent was originally intended to be made by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (of gold coin notoriety) but was ultimately designed by Victor David Brenner. His initials, 'V.D.B" became part of the reverse design during the first year. Sources vary on why the initials were removed during the first year; this removal allowed for 5 different types of 1909 cents, including the lowest mintage cent, the 1909 S VDB, at less than half a million specimens.
The first year of issue 1909 cents were hoarded by the public and high grade examples may be found today. From 1910-1915, the branch Denver and San Francisco mints minted relatively low amounts of the cents, and they were heavily circulated in the era. Low mintage in Denver in 1914 resulted in the second lowest mintage, in the 1914 D.
Brenner's initials returned in very small letters on the obverse in 1918.
Production continued steadily until 1931, when San Francisco would coin very few specimens in 1931, and none in 1932 or 1933. Production resumed through the 1930s with higher mintages.
In 1942, facing a shortage of copper for World War II, the mint produced several patterns, and decided to strike the 1943 cents in zinc coated steel. These remain a collector favorite as an oddity. Although plentiful in number, they corroded easily and many were melted as they were not accepted in vending machines.
Production from 1946 to 1958 was very high; the odd example found in change are largely from this era. In 1959, the reverse was changed to the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth.
Lincoln Wheat Cents Key Dates
1909 S VDB
1909 S
1914 D
1931 S
Lincoln Wheat Cents Semi-Key Dates
1910 S
1911 D
1911 S
1912 S
1913 S
1914 S
1915 S
1922 D
1924 D
1926 S
Lincoln Wheat Cents Key Varieties & Errors
1909 S over Horizontal S
1922 D "No D" (Strong Reverse + Weak Reverse)
1955 Double Die Obverse
Strategies for Collecting
- Become well-accustomed to grading Lincoln cents; know the high points on the coin. Get the PCGS CoinFacts app as a quick reference guide.
- Collect the best grade you can afford for each date. Some coins appreciate rapidly in price from one grade to the next. Better-condition coins are always in demand.
- Use a Whitman Album for raw coins; this is an easy way to organize and protect your collection.
- If you are a new collector or seeking very high grades ,consider acquiring coins that are PCGS or NGC certified for the key dates (especially the 1909 S VDB). Buy the coin, not the holder. Coin grading is subjective, so two coins with the same grade may have different values.
- As a new collector, it is fine to focus on quantity first to fill out an album initially, but you will want to move to upgrading each date as you learn more about each date and mintmark.
Be sure to check out Bison Numismatics' selection of wheat cents to fill out your album.
1909-1919 Lincoln Wheat Cents by year and mintmark
1920-1929 Lincoln Wheat Cents by year and mintmark
1930-1939 Lincoln Wheat Cents by year and mintmark
1940-1949 Lincoln Wheat Cents by year and mintmark
1950-1958 Lincoln Wheat Cents by year and mintmark