2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 129,600,000 made
- Mintage
- 129,600,000
- Metal
- 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating
- Weight
- 2.5 g
- Diameter
- 19.05 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is a 2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent worth?
A worn 2009 Presidency is a spender: face value. A bright uncirculated one, or one with a known error, is worth setting aside.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent rare?
- Yes. Only 129,600,000 were made, the lowest of any regular Lincoln Bicentennial Cent.
- Where is the mint mark on a 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent?
- On the obverse, below the date. Philadelphia cents have no mint mark.
- How many 2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent coins were made?
- 129,600,000.
What to check on your 2009
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 2009-S Presidency Lincoln Cent Proof (2,995,615 made) is the one to compare with.
- Bubbles, peeling or gray patches on a zinc cent are corrosion of the copper plating, not a minting error. They don't add value.
- Judge the grade under good light. Modern cents are judged mainly by surface quality and luster. Look for a full, crisp design and the absence of spots or zinc "bubbling" under the plating.
With 130 million made, the 2009 still turns up in everyday change. Keep yours only if it looks uncirculated or shows a variety; otherwise it's worth face value.
The story of the 2009 Presidency
Philadelphia made 129,600,000 of the Presidency coin. That was the smallest Philadelphia run of the 4 designs issued in 2009, so it's the one from that year you're least likely to find in change.
Denver struck more of the same design, 198 million, so the 2009 is the scarcer of the pair by about 35 percent.
Four reverses for the Lincoln bicentennial (2009)
In 2009 the Mint marked the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth and the centennial of the Lincoln cent with four reverse designs released in sequence. Birthplace shows his log cabin in Kentucky, Formative Years shows a young Lincoln reading on a log in Indiana, Professional Life shows him before the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield and Presidency shows the unfinished Capitol dome in Washington. The first design was released on February 12, Lincoln's birthday.
Circulating cents were copper-plated zinc, while collector coins in mint and proof sets were struck in the 95 percent copper alloy used for the original 1909 cent. Mintages were low compared with earlier years, especially for Presidency, at 129.6 million from Philadelphia. The Formative Years has several doubled die varieties. Coins from rolls are bright, but plating spots and wear develop quickly.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 2009
Four special reverse designs marked the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth on the cent. Quarters honored the District of Columbia and five US territories. The Native American dollar began a new reverse each year.
How to recognize it
The Presidency design
The fourth and last Lincoln cent of 2009 shows the United States Capitol with its new dome only half finished. Construction of the larger cast-iron dome continued throughout the Civil War, a project Lincoln insisted should go on as a sign that the Union would endure. The image represents his presidency in Washington from 1861 to 1865. Susan Gamble designed the reverse and Joseph Menna sculpted it.
The Lincoln Bicentennial Cent design
Four reverses in 2009 traced Lincoln's life: the log cabin where he was born in Kentucky, young Lincoln reading on a log in Indiana, Lincoln as a lawyer standing before the Illinois State Capitol and the half-finished Capitol dome in Washington during his presidency. The obverse kept the standard Lincoln portrait.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Lincoln Bicentennial Cent (2009–2009) |
|---|---|
| Year | 2009 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 129,600,000 |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating |
| Weight | 2.5 grams |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Four reverse designs by Richard Masters, Charles Vickers, Joel Iskowitz and Susan Gamble |
Other 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent issues
Mintage: Lincoln cent mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.