U.S. COIN REFERENCE · Lincoln Memorial and later cents
Later Lincoln cents: reverse designs and the 1982 boundary
The building, four bicentennial designs, and shield create different collecting units.
By SalarsNet · Reviewed October 5, 2026
Name the reverse before the composition
The Memorial reverse began in 1959 and continued through 2008. Four 2009 reverses marked Lincoln’s bicentennial; the shield followed in 2010. Copper-alloy and copper-plated zinc Memorial cents both occur in 1982. Establish date style and actual measured mass before making a composition attribution for that transition.
Type references: PCGS Lincoln Cent (Modern) ↗
Plating can imitate an error
Inspect bubbles, blisters, exposed gray metal, and corrosion separately from die doubling. A split or damaged coating is a different mechanism from a doubled die. Photograph the entire affected area and neighboring undamaged design; that comparison helps distinguish a surface failure from a repeated design feature.
Type references: PCGS Lincoln Cent (Modern) ↗
No S belongs to the right strike
The 1990 No S candidate is a proof issue. An ordinary Philadelphia 1990 cent lacking a mintmark is a different object. A proof attribution needs supporting strike and die evidence. Compare the same reverse, alloy, date style, and confirmed variety, and retain current sold sales rather than a cached premium for a famous error name.
Type references: PCGS Lincoln Cent (Modern) ↗
Selected reviewed issue records
These catalog standards describe the named issue, not a measured specimen. The selected records below do not cover every date, mint, strike, or die variety. Reported production is labeled separately from established mintage. Unknown standards and mintage remain visible; survival estimates and certified populations are separate research questions.
No issue-level specification or mintage records are published for this category yet. Verify the exact date, mint, strike, metal, and subtype in its reference before using a numerical standard.
References and review
Reference reviewed October 5, 2026. Historical facts and catalog standards need to match the exact issue; price comparisons should be researched at the time of valuation.