1976-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 4,149,730 made
- Mintage
- 4,149,730
- Metal
- 95% copper, 5% zinc
- Weight
- 3.11 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 1976-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof worth?
Age alone gives this coin a small premium, even worn. Sharp details and original surfaces push it higher.
What would make yours worth more:
- Grade and, for proofs, strong cameo contrast
- A die variety or minting error
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1976-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 4,149,730 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1976 Lincoln Memorial Cent?
- On the obverse, below the date. Philadelphia cents have no mint mark (except the 2017-P, which is a Lincoln Shield cent). On this coin the mark is S, for San Francisco.
- How many 1976-S Lincoln Memorial Cent proofs were made?
- 4,149,730.
What to check on your 1976-S
- Make sure the mint mark really is an S. A worn or filled mark can be misread. It's what separates your coin from the 1976 (3.1 billion made).
- Judge the grade under good light. Wear first shows on Lincoln's cheekbone and hair. Doubled-die varieties from 1969-S, 1972, 1983 (reverse), 1984 and 1995 are the big money coins, so always check the lettering under magnification.
Proofs from 1976 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 1976-S
Aluminum trials, West Point and the zinc switch (1974 to 1982)
Rising copper costs led the Mint to strike about 1.5 million aluminum cents dated 1974 as a test. Congress did not approve them. Nearly all were melted, though a few left the Mint and are not legal to own. Meanwhile, demand kept growing. The West Point facility struck billions of cents in these years with no mint mark, making them indistinguishable from Philadelphia coins.
Proofs struck at San Francisco show Filled S and Clear S varieties in 1979 and 1981. The clear S is the scarcer. In 1982 the Mint changed to copper-plated zinc, lowering the weight from 3.11 grams to 2.5 grams. That year has seven major varieties combining metal (bronze or zinc), date size (large or small) and mint (Philadelphia or Denver). A scale is the easiest way to tell bronze from zinc for 1982.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1976
Bicentennial designs appeared on the quarter (a colonial drummer), the half dollar (Independence Hall) and the dollar (the Liberty Bell and the Moon).
How to recognize it
The obverse keeps Victor David Brenner's portrait of Lincoln with the date and mint mark on the right. The reverse, by Frank Gasparro, shows the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., with a tiny statue of Lincoln visible between the central columns. E PLURIBUS UNUM is above the building and ONE CENT below. Look for the FG initials to the right of the steps.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Lincoln Memorial Cent (1959–2008) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1976 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 4,149,730 |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 95% copper, 5% zinc (brass) |
| Weight | 3.11 grams |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Victor David Brenner (obverse); Frank Gasparro (reverse) |
Other 1976 Lincoln Memorial Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 Lincoln Memorial Cent | 3,133,580,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1976-D Lincoln Memorial Cent | 4,221,592,455 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1976-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof | 4,149,730 | Proof | – |
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.