1983 Lincoln Memorial Cent : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….
 

In 1982, the United States Mint finally changed the composition of the planchets used for the Lincoln Cent, switching from the 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc bronze alloy used since 1864 to a copper-plated, mostly zinc planchet. Change was a long time coming, clearly, but global copper bullion prices had been rising to intolerable highs for decades by then.

1983 marked the first full year of the new alloy’s production, and the subtype of the Lincoln Memorial Cent came to be known affectionately by coin collectors as the “zincoln“. The majority-zinc composition was used through the end of the Memorial Cent design type (1982-2008), the Lincoln Bicentennial Cent of 2009, and is currently used for the Lincoln Shield Reverse Cent (2010-present).

The Philadelphia Mint struck almost eight billion Lincoln Cents in 1983, giving it the third-highest mintage of the ’80s behind the over eight billion coins of 1984 and the almost 11 billion pennies of 1982 (the Mint not wanting its inventory of bronze planchets to go to waste). This makes the 1983 Lincoln Cent a common coin but, like many other issues from the second half of the 20th century, it is relatively harder to find in change now as attrition takes its toll and newer coins relentlessly enter circulation.

Nevertheless, the 1983 Lincoln Cent is well worth setting aside when you do, as it has two important and quite valuable varieties: the Doubled Die Reverse (FS-801) and the 1983 Bronze Cent. The naked-eye doubling of the FS-801 variety is dramatic and might be the strongest of any Lincoln Cent issue. The extremely rare bronze transitional error coin was discovered only recently, and the hobby is still getting to know this mysterious variety.

The 1983 Bronze Cent: An Important New Rarity

Collectors, and even the general public to an extent, may be familiar with the more famous 1943 Copper Cent, another off-metal transitional Mint error. During World War II, the Mint changed the composition of planchets used to produce the nation’s one-cent coinage so that copper could be channeled into the war effort. Regardless of whether or not that copper played much of a role in victory, the composition change lasted only one year and introduced the 1943 Steel Cent variety to circulation.

Try as it might, the U.S. Mint cannot guarantee a 100% smooth transition from one alloy to another, and so leftover copper planchets entered the flow of Steel Cent production and were struck with the date 1943. Hence the rare Copper Cent off-metal error. Similarly, when the Mint reverted to the original copper planchets in 1944, Steel Cents bearing that date were produced (the 1944 Steel Cent is also rare, though not as popular with collectors as the ’43 Bronze).

So as the price of copper got too high in the 1960s and ’70s for the Mint to manufacture pennies in an economic manner, it became clearer that something would have to change. Then as now, some lobbied for the abandonment of copper entirely; an interesting experiment along these lines was the 1974 Aluminum Cent. But it wasn’t until the early ’80s that change occurred, creating the opportunity for further transitional errors to happen.

Somehow, it wasn’t until variety specialist Billy Crawford first identified one in 2006 that anyone knew the 1983 Bronze Cent existed. The curious penny weighed 3.11 grams–the old copper planchet standard–instead of 2.5. Crawford had his specimen verified by experts and held on to it for a few years until the discovery coin (PCGS #27958616) sold for $23,500 in a Heritage auction on December 6, 2013. A second specimen (PCGS #24526724) turned up in 2010. Collectors have discovered a few more since, mainly from rolls. In August 2024, GreatCollections sold the finest-known example (PCGS #49424134, only recently found, submitted and verified) for a record $26,000 – almost $30,000 with Buyer’s Premium.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

For a “common” modern coin, certified Superb Gem and top-pop examples can earn hundreds of dollars at public auction. On websites like eBay, raw examples sell for $2 to $3.

Top Population: PCGS MS68+RD (3, 8/2024), NGC MS68RD (59, 8/2024), and CAC N/A (0:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).

• PCGS MS68RD #49993061: GreatCollections, August 11, 2024, Lot 1634780 – View.
• NGC MS68RD #6697145-003: eBay, July 19, 2024, Lot 285968947715 – $300.
• NGC MS68RD #6697151-006: eBay, July 19, 2024, Lot 355883766924 – Best Offer Accepted (listed at $300).
• PCGS MS68RD #21689502: “The Ron Bozarth Registry Collection,” Heritage, January 4, 2006, Lot 85 – $632.50. Ron Bozarth Collection on label; Heritage, January 10, 2016, Lot 7299 – $493.50. Ron Bozarth Collection on label; DLRC, October 4, 2020, Lot 654535 – $410. Ron Bozarth Collection on label.
• PCGS MS68RD #60119165: “Charlie O’s Collection,” Heritage, June 18, 2019, Lot 25215 – $312.
• NGC MS68RD #2080105-031: Heritage, March 26, 2017, Lot 27072 – $205.63.
• PCGS MS68RD #90114618: Heritage, May 8, 2005, Lot 23099 – $1,092.50; Heritage, January 31, 2017, Lot 29478 – $329.
• PCGS MS68RD #25786968: Heritage, August 7, 2016, Lot 23053 – $399.50.
• PCGS MS68RD #90114614: “David Conway Collection,” Heritage, September 20, 2008, Lot 7503 – $1,380; Stack’s Bowers, April 4, 2016, 31835 – $399.50; DLRC, May 2016, Lot 463 – $575.
• NGC MS68RD #1300133-007: Stack’s Bowers, January 2014, Lot 20027 – $317.25.
• PCGS MS68RD: Teletrade, June 24, 2011, Lot 1209 – $833.75
• NGC MS68RD: Teletrade, April 3, 2011, Lot 1213 – $575
• PCGS MS68RD: “Close to Perfect Collection,” Stack’s Bowers, June 2010, Lot 1414 – $862.50. Close to Perfect Collection a #1 All-Time Finest Lincoln Memorial Cents Basic Set on PCGS Registry.
• PCGS MS68RD: Teletrade, April 4, 2010, Lot 1562 – $776.25
• PCGS MS68RD #21328319: Heritage, September 20, 2008, Lot 7502 – $1,840.
• PCGS MS68RD #21301799: Heritage, August 19, 2008, Lot 23199 – $373.75.
• PCGS MS68RD #21811915: Heritage, September 22, 2005, Lot 1185 – $488.75.
• PCGS MS68RD #21010036: Heritage, September 18, 2003, Lot 5741 – $603.75.

1983 Lincoln Memorial Cent Doubled Die Reverse, FS-801

While CACG reports zero coins stickered or graded for the standard issue, it lists 23 that have earned a green bean in the service’s top pop of MS67RD – a normal pattern for modern issues that are cherrypicked for important varieties.

Certified examples of the FS-801 Doubled Die Reverse variety in Mint State RD tend to sell for a few hundred dollars, increasing at each grade level until top pop coins go for thousands. Uncertified coins have sold on eBay for a gamut of prices in the last three months, with circulated (or ugly) pieces going for a couple of dollars and nice Red examples selling for over $100.

Top Population: PCGS MS68+RD (1, 8/2024), NGC MS68RD (19, 8/2024), and CAC MS67RD (23:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).

• PCGS MS68RD #46263578: Heritage, November 6, 2023, Lot 92309 – $5,280.
• NGC MS68RD #703017-006: Heritage, November 7, 2003, Lot 5397 – $3,220; Heritage, May 31, 2012, Lot 3235 – $6,900; Heritage, January 4, 2017, Lot 3340 – $2,350; Heritage, February 25, 2022, Lot 3457 – $2,640. Widely doubled.
• NGC MS68RD #1295207-005: DLRC, April 23, 2009, Lot 7202 – $4,025; “The Michael C. Hollen Collection,” Heritage, July 7, 2017, Lot 3462 – $2,585; Heritage, September 6, 2018, Lot 3020 – $2,760. FS-036 on insert, older holder.
• PCGS MS68RD #70003796: Heritage, July 6, 2017, Lot 3028 – $7,050.
• NGC MS68RD #1583849-001: Heritage, January 9, 2008, Lot 514 – $3,450; Heritage, September 10, 2009, Lot 214 – $4,600.
• NGC MS68RD: Superior Galleries, February 2005, Lot 2226 – $2,300.
• NGC MS68RD: Teletrade, April 11, 2001, Lot 1072 – $1,134.
• NGC MS68RD: Teletrade, September 1, 1999, Lot 1073 – $1,296.

1983 Lincoln Memorial Cent Transitional Error

All examples are expensive, but prices reach five figures in About Uncirculated and are worth almost twice as much in Mint State.

A press release from GreatCollections published before their July 28 sale stated that the firm sold circulated examples twice in the past 10 years: one for $3,900 and another for $4,050.

Top Population: PCGS MS65RD (1, 8/2024), NGC MS64RB (1, 8/2024), and CAC N/A (0:0 stickered:graded, 8/2024).

• PCGS MS65RD #49424134: – GreatCollections, July 28, 2024, Lot 1607946 – $26,000.
• NGC MS64RB #6493071-001: – Stack’s Bowers, March 26, 2024, Lot 4033 – $9,000.
• PCGS MS63RB #27253310: – Heritage, April 24, 2014, Lot 5673 – $18,800.
• PCGS MS62RB #27958616: – Heritage, December 6, 2013, Lot 4453 – $23,500. Discovery coin.
• PCGS MS62BN #28483687: – Stack’s Bowers, February 2014, Lot 2015 – $22,325.
• NGC MS61RB #4426868-001: – Heritage, January 10, 2020, Lot 5055 – $4,800.
• NGC MS61BN #4657415-002: – Heritage, August 3, 2020, Lot 3847 – $3,120.
• PCGS AU58BN #28790387: – Stack’s Bowers, November 2015 – $11,750.
• PCGS AU55 #29257924: – Heritage, August 7, 2014, Lot 5023 – $16,450.
• PCGS Genuine #24526724: – Heritage, October 19, 2012, Lot 5320 – $1,880. Second example discovered.

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Design

Obverse:

The obverse of the 1983 Lincoln Cent was designed by sculptor Victor David Brenner, whose initials VDB appear in tiny print under the shoulder of President Abraham Lincoln’s bust (which dominates the front side of the coin). The right-facing profile of Lincoln shows the 16th President of the United States during his time as the nation’s commander-in-chief at the height of the Civil War.

To the right of Lincoln is the date 1983. Since the coin was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, there is no mintmark. Behind Lincoln’s head is the word LIBERTY. Centered along the upper rim of the coin, in an arc over Lincoln’s head, is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.

Reverse:

The reverse of the 1983 Lincoln Memorial Cent is anchored by an elevated front view of the iconic Washington, D.C. memorial dedicated to the iconic president. The surprisingly high detail of the Lincoln Memorial design is sharp enough to reveal the tiny visage of Lincoln sitting in his chair, replicating the 19-foot-tall statue visitors encounter inside the actual monument.

Below the Lincoln Memorial is the coin’s denomination ONE CENT, and along the top center of the rim is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM is inscribed in two lines under the legend and above the Lincoln Memorial. Designer Frank Gasparro’s initials FG are seen at the bottom right of the building, just above a shrub.

Edge:

The edge of the 1983 Lincoln Cent is plain or smooth, without reeding or lettering.

Varieties

In addition to the Doubled Die Reverse, there are also four distinct Doubled Die Obverse varieties (FS-101, FS-102, FS-103, and VP-005) acknowledged by most references. A further variety, FS-401, features a prominent die break and cud on the reverse.

Designers

Lithuanian-born coin designer Victor David Brenner is best known for his iconic design for the Lincoln Cent (1909-Present) (View Designer’s Profile).

Frank Gasparro was an American medalist and coin designer. He joined the Mint’s Engraving Department in 1942 under John R. Sinnock and worked under Gilroy Roberts as Assistant Engraver. Gasparro succeeded Roberts as Chief Engraver of the U.S. Mint on February 23, 1965, and served until January 16, 1981. He died on September 29, 2001 (View Designer’s Profile).

Coin Specifications

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