The Lincoln Cent represents the longest continuously running series within United States coinage. While the reverse design has seen some changes at different milestones, the obverse design featuring a bust of Abraham Lincoln by Victor D. Brenner has remained in place for more than 100 years. During this period, the mintages for individual issues have varied widely.
As might be expected, the lower mintage key date coins occurred within the early portion of the series when the coins carried the Wheat Ears reverse design. The primary key date is the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, which carried a mintage of 484,000 pieces. Additional semi-key date issues that saw low mintages include the 1914-D Lincoln Cent at 1,193,000 pieces and the 1931-S Lincoln Cent at 866,000.
Mintage levels rose to new heights with the start of the Lincoln Memorial reverse design. During this period, production primarily took place at the Philadelphia and Denver Mint facilities, where mintages typically ran into the billions of pieces. In 1982, when the composition was changed from primarily copper to copper-coated zinc, the Philadelphia Mint struck more than 10 billion pieces.
In 2009, mintage levels fell to their lowest levels in decades due to the economic conditions and the fact that production was split across four different reverse designs. Levels have since rebounded, with the new Union Shield reverse design issues again ranging into the billions of pieces.
In 2019, the United States Mint included a 2019-W Lincoln Cent with an Uncirculated finish as a premium along with the 2019 Uncirculated Mint Set. The mintage of 346,117 is based on the last known sales for the set.
Unless noted, figures represent the final mintages published by the U.S. Mint. Where applicable, mintages include combined sales totals across all product offerings. For numbers marked with an asterisk (*), refer to the mintage notes following the tables.
Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent Mintages
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1909 | 72,702,618 |
| 1909 VDB | 27,995,000 |
| 1909-S* | 1,825,000 |
| 1909-S VDB | 484,000 |
| 1910 | 146,801,218 |
| 1910-S | 6,045,000 |
| 1911 | 101,177,787 |
| 1911-D | 12,672,000 |
| 1911-S | 4,026,000 |
| 1912 | 68,153,060 |
| 1912-D | 10,411,000 |
| 1912-S | 4,431,000 |
| 1913 | 76,532,352 |
| 1913-D | 15,804,000 |
| 1913-S | 6,101,000 |
| 1914 | 75,238,432 |
| 1914-D | 1,193,000 |
| 1914-S | 4,137,000 |
| 1915 | 29,092,120 |
| 1915-D | 22,050,000 |
| 1915-S | 4,833,000 |
| 1916 | 131,833,677 |
| 1916-D | 35,956,000 |
| 1916-S | 22,510,000 |
| 1917* | 196,429,785 |
| 1917-D | 55,120,000 |
| 1917-S | 32,620,000 |
| 1918 | 288,104,634 |
| 1918-D | 47,830,000 |
| 1918-S | 34,680,000 |
| 1919 | 392,021,000 |
| 1919-D | 57,154,000 |
| 1919-S | 139,760,000 |
| 1920 | 310,165,000 |
Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent Mintages Continued
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1920-D | 49,280,000 |
| 1920-S | 46,220,000 |
| 1921 | 39,157,000 |
| 1921-S | 15,274,000 |
| 1922-D* | 7,160,000 |
| 1923 | 74,723,000 |
| 1923-S | 8,700,000 |
| 1924 | 75,178,000 |
| 1924-D | 2,520,000 |
| 1924-S | 11,696,000 |
| 1925 | 139,949,000 |
| 1925-D | 22,580,000 |
| 1925-S | 26,380,000 |
| 1926 | 157,088,000 |
| 1926-D | 28,020,000 |
| 1926-S | 4,550,000 |
| 1927 | 144,440,000 |
| 1927-D | 27,170,000 |
| 1927-S | 14,276,000 |
| 1928 | 134,116,000 |
| 1928-D | 31,170,000 |
| 1928-S* | 17,266,000 |
| 1929 | 185,262,000 |
| 1929-D | 41,730,000 |
| 1929-S | 50,148,000 |
| 1930 | 157,415,000 |
| 1930-D | 40,100,000 |
| 1930-S | 24,286,000 |
| 1931 | 19,396,000 |
| 1931-D | 4,480,000 |
| 1931-S | 866,000 |
| 1932 | 9,062,000 |
| 1932-D | 10,500,000 |
| 1933 | 14,360,000 |
| 1933-D | 6,200,000 |
Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent Mintages Continued
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1934 | 219,080,000 |
| 1934-D | 28,446,000 |
| 1935 | 245,388,000 |
| 1935-D | 47,000,000 |
| 1935-S | 38,702,000 |
| 1936* | 309,632,000 |
| 1936-D | 40,620,000 |
| 1936-S | 29,130,000 |
| 1937 | 309,170,000 |
| 1937-D | 50,430,000 |
| 1937-S | 34,500,000 |
| 1938 | 156,682,000 |
| 1938-D | 20,010,000 |
| 1938-S | 15,180,000 |
| 1939 | 316,466,000 |
| 1939-D | 15,160,000 |
| 1939-S | 52,070,000 |
| 1940 | 586,810,000 |
| 1940-D | 81,390,000 |
| 1940-S | 112,940,000 |
| 1941 | 887,018,000 |
| 1941-D | 128,700,000 |
| 1941-S* | 92,360,000 |
| 1942 | 657,796,000 |
| 1942-D | 206,698,000 |
| 1942-S | 85,590,000 |
| 1943 (Steel Cent) | 684,628,670 |
| 1943-D (Steel Cent) | 217,660,000 |
| 1943-S (Steel Cent) | 191,550,000 |
| 1944 | 1,435,400,000 |
| 1944-D* | 430,578,000 |
| 1944-S | 282,760,000 |
| 1945 | 1,040,515,000 |
| 1945-D | 266,268,000 |
| 1945-S | 181,770,000 |
Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent Mintages Continued
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1946 | 991,655,000 |
| 1946-D | 315,690,000 |
| 1946-S* | 198,100,000 |
| 1947 | 190,555,000 |
| 1947-D | 194,750,000 |
| 1947-S | 99,000,000 |
| 1948 | 317,570,000 |
| 1948-D | 172,637,500 |
| 1948-S | 81,735,000 |
| 1949 | 217,775,000 |
| 1949-D | 153,132,500 |
| 1949-S | 64,290,000 |
| 1950 | 272,635,000 |
| 1950-D | 334,950,000 |
| 1950-S | 118,505,000 |
| 1951 | 284,576,000 |
| 1951-D | 625,355,000 |
| 1951-S | 136,010,000 |
| 1952 | 186,775,000 |
| 1952-D | 746,130,000 |
| 1952-S | 137,800,004 |
| 1953 | 256,755,000 |
| 1953-D | 700,515,000 |
| 1953-S | 181,835,000 |
| 1954 | 71,640,050 |
| 1954-D | 251,552,500 |
| 1954-S | 96,190,000 |
| 1955* | 330,958,200 |
| 1955-D | 563,257,500 |
| 1955-S | 44,610,000 |
| 1956 | 420,745,000 |
| 1956-D* | 1,098,201,100 |
| 1957 | 282,540,000 |
| 1957-D | 1,051,342,000 |
| 1958* | 252,525,000 |
| 1958-D | 800,953,300 |
Lincoln Memorial Cent Mintages
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1959 | 609,715,000 |
| 1959-D | 1,279,760,000 |
| 1960* | 586,405,000 |
| 1960-D* | 1,580,884,000 |
| 1961 | 753,345,000 |
| 1961-D | 1,753,266,700 |
| 1962 | 606,045,000 |
| 1962-D | 1,793,148,140 |
| 1963 | 754,110,000 |
| 1963-D | 1,774,020,400 |
| 1964 | 2,648,575,000 |
| 1964-D | 3,799,071,500 |
| 1965 | 1,497,224,900 |
| 1966 | 2,188,147,783 |
| 1967 | 3,048,667,100 |
| 1968 | 1,707,880,970 |
| 1968-D | 2,886,269,600 |
| 1968-S | 258,270,001 |
| 1969 | 1,136,910,000 |
| 1969-D | 4,002,832,200 |
| 1969-S* | 547,309,631 |
| 1970 | 1,898,315,000 |
| 1970-D | 2,891,438,900 |
Lincoln Memorial Cent Mintages Continued
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1970-S | 693,192,814 |
| 1971* | 1,919,490,000 |
| 1971-D | 2,911,045,600 |
| 1971-S | 525,133,459 |
| 1972* | 2,933,255,000 |
| 1972-D | 2,665,071,400 |
| 1972-S | 376,939,108 |
| 1973 | 3,728,245,000 |
| 1973-D | 3,549,576,588 |
| 1973-S | 317,177,295 |
| 1974 | 4,232,140,523 |
| 1974-D | 4,235,098,000 |
| 1974-S | 409,426,660 |
| 1975 | 5,451,476,142 |
| 1975-D | 4,505,275,300 |
| 1976 | 4,674,292,426 |
| 1976-D | 4,221,592,455 |
| 1977 | 4,469,930,000 |
| 1977-D | 4,194,062,300 |
| 1978 | 5,558,605,000 |
| 1978-D | 4,280,233,400 |
| 1979 | 6,018,515,000 |
| 1979-D | 4,139,357,254 |
Lincoln Memorial Cent Mintages Continued
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 7,414,705,000 |
| 1980-D | 5,140,098,660 |
| 1981 | 7,491,750,000 |
| 1981-D | 5,373,235,677 |
| 1982* | 10,712,525,000 |
| 1982-D | 6,012,979,368 |
| 1983* | 7,752,355,000 |
| 1983-D | 6,467,199,428 |
| 1984* | 8,151,079,000 |
| 1984-D | 5,569,238,906 |
| 1985 | 5,648,489,887 |
| 1985-D | 5,287,399,926 |
| 1986 | 4,491,395,493 |
| 1986-D | 4,442,866,698 |
| 1987 | 4,682,466,931 |
| 1987-D | 4,879,389,514 |
| 1988 | 6,092,810,000 |
| 1988-D | 5,253,740,443 |
| 1989 | 7,261,535,000 |
| 1989-D | 5,345,467,111 |
| 1990 | 6,851,765,000 |
| 1990-D | 4,922,894,533 |
| 1991 | 5,165,940,000 |
| 1991-D | 4,158,442,076 |
| 1992 | 4,648,905,000 |
| 1992-D | 4,448,673,300 |
| 1993 | 5,684,705,000 |
| 1993-D | 6,426,650,571 |
| 1994 | 6,500,850,000 |
| 1994-D | 7,131,765,000 |
Lincoln Memorial Cent Mintages Continued
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1995* | 6,411,400,000 |
| 1995-D | 7,128,560,000 |
| 1996 | 6,612,465,000 |
| 1996-D | 6,510,795,000 |
| 1997 | 4,622,800,000 |
| 1997-D | 4,576,555,000 |
| 1998* | 5,032,155,000 |
| 1998-D | 5,225,353,500 |
| 1999* | 5,237,600,000 |
| 1999-D | 6,360,065,000 |
| 2000* | 5,503,200,000 |
| 2000-D | 8,774,220,000 |
| 2001 | 4,959,600,000 |
| 2001-D | 5,374,990,000 |
| 2002 | 3,260,800,000 |
| 2002-D | 4,028,055,000 |
| 2003 | 3,300,000,000 |
| 2003-D | 3,548,000,000 |
| 2004 | 3,379,600,000 |
| 2004-D | 3,456,400,000 |
| 2005 | 3,935,600,000 |
| 2005-D | 3,764,450,000 |
| 2006 | 4,290,000,000 |
| 2006-D | 3,944,000,000 |
| 2007 | 3,763,400,000 |
| 2007-D | 3,638,800,000 |
| 2008 | 2,596,000,000 |
| 2008-D | 2,849,600,000 |
2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent Mintages
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2009-P Birthplace Lincoln Cent | 284,400,000 |
| 2009-D Birthplace Lincoln Cent | 350,400,000 |
| 2009-P Formative Years Lincoln Cent | 376,000,000 |
| 2009-D Formative Years Lincoln Cent | 363,600,000 |
| 2009-P Professional Life Lincoln Cent | 316,000,000 |
| 2009-D Professional Life Lincoln Cent | 336,000,000 |
| 2009-P Presidency Lincoln Cent | 129,600,000 |
| 2009-D Presidency Lincoln Cent | 198,000,000 |
Lincoln Union Shield Cent Mintages
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1,963,630,000 |
| 2010-D | 2,047,200,000 |
| 2011 | 2,402,400,000 |
| 2011-D | 2,536,140,000 |
| 2012 | 3,132,000,000 |
| 2012-D | 2,883,200,000 |
| 2013 | 3,750,400,000 |
| 2013-D | 3,319,600,000 |
| 2014 | 3,990,800,000 |
| 2014-D | 4,155,600,000 |
| 2015 | 4,691,300,000 |
| 2015-D | 4,674,000,000 |
| 2016 | 4,698,000,000 |
| 2016-D | 4,420,400,000 |
| 2017-P | 4,361,220,000 |
| 2017-D | 4,272,800,000 |
| 2018 | 4,066,800,000 |
| 2018-D | 3,736,400,000 |
| 2019 | 3,542,800,000 |
| 2019-D | 3,497,600,000 |
| 2019-W | 346,117 |
Lincoln Union Shield Cent Mintages Continued
The mintages presented in the table below are subject to change and reflect the most current information as of January 8, 2024.
| Issue | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,925,820,000 |
| 2020-D | 3,982,800,000 |
| 2021 | 3,560,800,000 |
| 2021-D | 4,035,600,000 |
| 2022 | 3,129,200,000 |
| 2022-D | 3,230,400,000 |
| 2023 | 2,262,000,000 |
| 2023-D | 2,260,800,000 |
*Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent Mintage Notes
- 1909-S: Mintage of 1909 S Over Horizontal S Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1917: Mintage of 1917 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1922-D: Mintage includes a small number of 1922 “No D” Lincoln Cents that were made with extremely worn dies
- 1928-S: Mintage reflects the combined number of large and small mintmarks varieties
- 1936: Mintage of 1936 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1941-S: Mintage reflects the combined number of large and small mintmarks varieties
- 1944-D: Mintage of 1944 D Over S Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1946-S: Mintage of 1946 S Over D Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1955: Mintage of 1955 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1956-D: Mintage of 1956 D Above Shadow D Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1958: Mintage includes 1958 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent (3 known)
*Lincoln Memorial Cent Mintage Notes
- 1960: Mintage reflects the combined number of large date and small date varieties
- 1960-D: Mintage reflects the combined number of large date and small date varieties
- 1969-S: Mintage of 1969-S Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1970-S: Mintage reflects the combined number of all 1970-S Lincoln Cent varieties
- 1971: Mintage of 1971 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1971-S: Mintage of 1971-S Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1972: Mintage of 1972 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1982: Mintage reflects the combined number of large date and small date varieties
- 1983: Mintage of 1983 Double Die Reverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1984: Mintage of 1984 Double Ear Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1992: Mintage includes 1992 Close AM Lincoln Cent
- 1995: Mintage of 1995 Double Die Obverse Lincoln Cent included in number shown
- 1998: Mintage includes 1998 Wide AM Lincoln Cent
- 1999: Mintage includes 1999 Wide AM Lincoln Cent
- 2000: Mintage includes 2000 Wide AM Lincoln Cent
Frequently Asked Questions
The lowest-minted mint state Lincoln Cent is the 1909-S VDB Lincoln Cent, which has a mintage of 484,000. The lowest-minted Proof Lincoln Cent is the 1909 VDB Proof Lincoln Cent, which has a mintage of 1,194.
The total mintage for the Lincoln Cent is 55,420,900,000,000,000 (55.42 quadrillion). Mintages for each issue of the Lincoln Cent can be found by consulting the data above.
The U.S. Mint has struck a total of 55,420,900,000,000,000 (55.42 quadrillion) Lincoln Cents since 1909.
The U.S. Mint has struck Lincoln Cents at the Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco Mint, and West Point facilities.
The U.S. Mint struck 189 varieties of the Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent from 1909 to 1958, 128 varieties of the Lincoln Memorial Cent from 1959 to 2008, and 16 varieties of the Lincoln Bicentennial Cent and the Lincoln Union Shield Cent since 2009.
