1999-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof
Proof struck at the San Francisco Mint · 3,347,966 made
- Mintage
- 3,347,966
- 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 1999-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 known variety for the date: 1999 Wide AM Lincoln Cent
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1999-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof rare?
- Not especially. The Mint made 3,347,966 for collectors. Most were kept in their original packaging.
- Where is the mint mark on a 1999 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 1999-S Lincoln Memorial Cent proofs were made?
- 3,347,966.
What to check on your 1999-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 1999 (5.2 billion made).
- Look for the 1999 Wide AM Lincoln Cent (it's on Philadelphia coins, not this one).
- 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 1999 come with and without frosted devices. Coins with strong contrast are labeled Cameo or Deep Cameo and are worth more.
The story of the 1999-S
Close AM, Wide AM and the 1995 doubled die (1993 to 2000)
From 1993 circulating cents were made with the Close AM reverse while proofs used the Wide AM style. A few business strike cents from 1998, 1999 and 2000 were struck with the Wide AM proof reverse. These are scarce varieties worth checking with a magnifier. The 1999 Wide AM is the rarest of the three.
The 1995 doubled die obverse, with clear doubling on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, was found in large numbers in circulation and is the best known variety of this period. Output stayed huge. Denver struck more than 8.7 billion coins in 2000, the highest annual figure in that mint's history. Uncirculated red coins are abundant, but plating flaws and spots keep the very top grades scarce.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1999
The 50 State Quarters program began, with five new reverse designs each year in the order the states joined the Union.
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 | 1999 |
| Mint | San Francisco Mint |
| Mint mark | "S" |
| Strike type | Proof |
| Mintage | 3,347,966 |
| 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 1999 Lincoln Memorial Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 Lincoln Memorial Cent | 5,237,600,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1999-D Lincoln Memorial Cent | 6,360,065,000 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1999-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof | 3,347,966 | 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.