Designed by: Victor David Brenner
Issue Dates: 1909-1958
Composition: Bronze (1909-1942), New Alloy of 95% copper and 5% zinc (1947-1958)
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 3.11 grams (48 grains)
Edge: Plain
Business Strike Mintage: 19,552,500,823

For the first fifty years of the Wheat Cent, the reverse of the coin featured two ears of wheat at the left and right rim, with the large words “ONE CENT” at the upper center, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA below. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM appeared at the upper rim. The obverse portrayed a profile of Lincoln facing right, with IN GOD WE TRUST in small letters above, LIBERTY at left, and the date and mintmark at lower right.

The Lincoln cent series remains popular with collectors and was almost universally the starting set for many of today’s older collectors. Key dates include the aforementioned 1909-S VDB, the 1914-D, the 1922 “Plain” cent, struck in Denver with no trace of the “D” mintmark, the 1931-S, the 1955/55 doubled die, and the 1972 doubled die. There are other “condition rarities” meaning that in low grade they are not particularly costly but in high grade can be both elusive and expensive. Included in this group are many mintmarked issues from the first twenty years of production or so.