1985-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 3,362,821 made
- Mintage
- 3,362,821
- 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 1985-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 1985-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 3,362,821 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1985 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 1985-S Lincoln Memorial Cent proofs were made?
- 3,362,821.
What to check on your 1985-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 1985-D (5.3 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 1985 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 1985-S
Copper-plated zinc and the No S proofs (1983 to 1992)
From 1983 every cent was struck on a copper-plated zinc planchet. Annual output often exceeded ten billion combined. The plating proved fragile: these coins often develop bubbles, blisters or dark spots where moisture reaches the zinc core. Many found in change look dull or corroded after a few years.
This era has several notable varieties. The 1983 doubled die reverse shows strong doubling on the lettering. The 1984 doubled die obverse is known for a doubled earlobe. A small number of 1990 proof cents lack the S mint mark and are a major rarity in modern coins. The 1992 Close AM, where the letters A and M in AMERICA nearly touch, is a rare variety, since that reverse was not yet in general use for circulating cents.
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 | 1985 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 3,362,821 |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating |
| Weight | 2.5 grams |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | Victor David Brenner (obverse); Frank Gasparro (reverse) |
Other 1985 Lincoln Memorial Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 Lincoln Memorial Cent | 5,648,489,887 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1985-D Lincoln Memorial Cent | 5,287,399,926 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1985-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof | 3,362,821 | 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.