The Wheat cent introduced Abraham Lincoln as the first president on a regular U.S. coin and carried Victor D. Brenner's wheat-ear reverse through two world wars.

This guide covers 1909–1958 Wheat cents from Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco across bronze, 1943 zinc-coated steel, and restored bronze catalog types.

Core specifications

Issue period
1909–1958
Catalog mints
3
Reported catalog mintage
25,790,973,483
Composition
Varies by type
Diameter
19 mm
Weight
Varies by type

A presidential portrait becomes everyday money

Lincoln's cent debuted for the centennial of his birth in 1909. Brenner's portrait remained while the reverse used two wheat ears framing the denomination.

Wartime demand for copper produced the zinc-coated steel cent in 1943, followed by a return to copper alloy. VDB, mint-mark, doubled-die, and wrong-metal records make the familiar series technically deep.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Lincoln faces right with IN GOD WE TRUST above, LIBERTY behind, and the date and mint mark before the bust.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

Two wheat ears frame ONE CENT and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, with E PLURIBUS UNUM above.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

  • P — Philadelphia: 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958; 13,964,292,573. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
  • D — Denver: 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958; 9,071,458,901. Confirm the D mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.
  • S — San Francisco: 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955; 2,755,222,009. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

A one-per-decade or type-and-composition set is accessible; complete date-and-mint sets concentrate difficulty in a few branch-mint keys and major varieties.

  • 1909 S — 1,825,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1914 D — 1,193,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1922 D — 7,160,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1931 S — 866,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1943 P - Steel Cent — 684,628,670. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1955 P — 330,958,200. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 15 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 15 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

1909 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1909 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1910 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1910 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1911 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1911 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1911 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1912 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1912 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1912 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1913 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1913 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1913 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1914 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1914 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1914 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1915 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1915 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1915 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1916 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1916 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1916 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1917 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1917 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1917 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1918 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1918 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1918 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1919 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1919 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1919 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1920 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1920 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1920 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1921 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1921 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1922 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1923 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1923 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1924 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1924 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1924 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1925 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1925 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1925 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1926 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1926 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1926 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1927 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1927 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1927 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1928 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1928 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1928 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1929 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1929 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1929 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1930 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1930 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1930 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1931 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1931 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1931 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1932 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1932 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1933 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1933 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1934 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1934 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1935 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1935 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1935 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1936 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1936 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1936 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1937 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1937 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1937 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1938 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1938 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1938 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1939 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1939 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1939 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1940 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1940 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1940 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1941 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1941 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1941 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1942 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1942 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1942 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1943 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Steel Cent1943 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Bronze/Copper1943 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Steel Cent1943 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Steel Cent - Boldy Doubled Mintmark1943 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Bronze/Copper1943 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Steel Cent1943 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) - Bronze/Copper1944 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1944 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1944 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1945 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1945 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1945 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1946 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1946 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1946 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1947 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1947 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1947 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1948 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1948 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1948 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1949 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1949 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1949 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1950 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1950 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1950 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1951 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1951 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1951 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1952 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1952 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1952 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1953 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1953 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1953 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1954 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1954 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1954 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1955 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1955 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1955 S Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1956 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1956 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1957 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1957 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1958 P Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)1958 D Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse)

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
  • Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 142 issue records, 15 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. Penny: Designs and History — United States Mint
  2. Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) category reference — PCGS CoinFacts