Lincoln Wheat Small Cent

The Lincoln Cent made its debut in 1909 as a replacement for the old Indian Head Cent. There is no other US coin design that even comes close the the 93 year life span of the Lincoln Cent. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Cent.

In 1909 Victor David Brenner made the famous bust of Lincoln design which we all know so well today. Lincoln was chosen as the subject for the new Cent since the year 1909 was the centennial of his birth. Until the appearance of Lincoln, no person, alive or dead had ever appeared on a coin that was made for general circulation.

The Lincoln Wheat Small Cent is referred to as a Wheat penny and was produced from 1909 until 1958. Brenner’s initials V.D.B. were included on the reverse side of the coin under the two wheat stalk on a few coins until a public controversy forced the removal. Brenner’s initials were then put on the obverse below Lincoln’s shoulder in 1918.

One of the highest valued Lincoln Wheat Small cent is the 1909 coin that was minted in San Francisco. The initials of Brenner were put between the stalks of wheat on the lower reverse side and only 484,000 were produced until the public loudly complained of his initials being on the coin. Even the poorest examples of these coins can be worth hundreds of dollars and one in a high grade mint condition can sell for up to $12,000.

In 1959 in honor of the sesquicentennial of the birth of Lincoln, the wheat stalks were replaced with a rendition of the Lincoln Memorial that was designed by Frank Gasparro. This design is still in use today.