1988 Lincoln Memorial Cent
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 6,092,810,000 made
- Mintage
- 6,092,810,000
- 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 1988 Lincoln Memorial Cent worth?
In circulated condition it's worth face value. Only uncirculated coins with full original luster, or a recognized variety, carry a premium.
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 1988 Lincoln Memorial Cent rare?
- No. 6.1 billion were made, a typical run for the series. Condition and varieties decide its value, not the date.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1988 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).
- Which Philadelphia dates near 1988 are scarcer?
- The 1986 at 4,491,395,493, the 1992 at 4,648,905,000, the 1987 at 4,682,466,931, plus 3 more. So the 1988 is one of the easier dates of its stretch.
- How many 1988 Lincoln Memorial Cent coins were made?
- 6,092,810,000.
What to check on your 1988
- 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 1988-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof (3,262,948 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. 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.
With 6.1 billion made, the 1988 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 1988
Output at Philadelphia climbed to 6,092,810,000 in 1988, from 4.7 billion the year before. The next year it made 7.3 billion (1989).
1988-D came to 5.3 billion, so neither mint's 1988 coin is much scarcer than the other.
Philadelphia struck the Lincoln Memorial Cent in 50 issues between 1959 and 2008. By mintage this one lands in the more common half, while the key for that mint is the 1965 (301,470,000). Within the 1980s it's 14th smallest of 20, between the 1982-D (6 billion) and the 1983-D (6.5 billion).
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 | 1988 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 6,092,810,000 |
| 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 1988 Lincoln Memorial Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Lincoln Memorial Cent | 6,092,810,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1988-D Lincoln Memorial Cent | 5,253,740,443 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1988-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof | 3,262,948 | 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.