2009 Lincoln Cent – Presidency : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

The Lincoln Bicentennial Cent series, consisting of four coins, concluded with the release of the 2009 Lincoln Presidency Cent on November 12. Designed by Susan Gamble, this coin features an image of the United States Capitol building as it looked during the early years of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, with its distinctive dome under construction.

The construction of the Capitol dome began in 1856. At the time, the original dome of the U.S. Capitol, designed by Boston architect Charles Bulfinch (ancestor of Coin World and CoinWeek writer Chris Bulfinch), was 32 years old. Made of wood, the first dome required frequent repairs and was deemed too small for the expanding Capitol building.

Philadelphia architect Thomas U. Walter proposed a new dome design as part of the renovation and his design immediately caught the attention of Congress, which approved an allocation of $100,000 to start construction within months. Construction of the dome began under President Franklin Pierce, with exterior construction concluding during the Lincoln Administration, but the dome’s interior components were not finished until 1866.

Collecting the 2009 Lincoln Presidency Cent

Each of the four 2009 Lincoln Cent designs was produced over a 12-week period, with each design being retired at the end of three months. Additionally, a copper collector version was produced in the pre-1982 Lincoln Cent standard. These were sold in Satin and Proof finishes at a premium price.

Congress envisioned that the release of these coins would be met with widespread public enthusiasm, but the financial meltdown hampered the release as demand for new circulated coins dropped dramatically and collectors grew frustrated by their inability to acquire the designs from their banks at release.

Of the eight circulation strike releases (P- and D-mint coins for each design), the 2009 Lincoln Presidency Cent has the lowest mintage at 129,600,000. One would have to go back to the 1955-S Wheat Cent to find a mintage this low. Granted, the Presidency Cent was one of four designs issued that year by the Philadelphia Mint, so it’s not an “apples to apples” comparison.

Today, most examples of this issue that remain in circulation will grade between Extra Fine and About Uncirculated. Collectors typically do not seek examples of modern coins in these grades and instead pursue uncirculated examples. Uncirculated 2009 Lincoln Presidency Cents sell on eBay for about $1.50 each. The coin can be worth more in high grade, but the cost of submission leaves little wiggle room if your coin falls short of the MS67RD benchmark.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

2009 Lincoln Cent, Presidency – Zinc Circulation Strike

Top Population: PCGS MS68RD (3, 4/2025), NGC MS68RD (6, 4/2025), and CAC MS67RD (1, 4/2025).

• PCGS MS67RD: eBay, March 17, 2025 – $56.55. 17 bids. Abraham Lincoln signature label.
• NGC MS67RD: eBay, February 16, 2025 – $79.20 or Best Offer. Abraham Lincoln Series label (#89, retired).

2009 Lincoln Cent, Presidency – Copper Collector’s Strike

Top Population: PCGS MS69RD (376, 4/2025), NGC MS69RD (227, 4/2025), and CAC N/A (4/2025).

• NGC MS67RD: eBay, March 14, 2025 – $19.50. 11 bids. Abraham Lincoln Series label (#89, retired).
• NGC MS67RD: eBay, February 28, 2025 – $15.52. 4 bids. Abraham Lincoln Series label (#89, retired).

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Design

Obverse:

The obverse of the 2009 Lincoln Cent was designed by Victor David Brenner and appears largely as it did when the type was first minted in 1909. The main difference between the modern obverse versus the 1909 version is the location of Brenner’s initials, V.D.B., which were added under Lincoln’s bust in 1918 after their removal from the reverse in late 1909. The year 2009 appears to the right of Lincoln. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST appears above the president, and behind him (viewer’s left) is the word LIBERTY.

Reverse:

A three-quarters view of the dome of the United States Capitol Building under construction, presumably sourced from multiple contemporary photographs. Wrapping clockwise around the top of the design is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and under the Capitol is the denomination ONE CENT. The motto E ∙ PLURIBUS ∙ UNUM runs counterclockwise along the bottom of the coin. Artist Susan Gamble designed the reverse; her initials SG are to the left of the denomination. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna sculpted Gamble’s design; his initials JFM are to the right of ONE CENT.

Edge:

The edge of the 2009 Presidency Lincoln Cent is plain or smooth.

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).

Susan Gamble’s career as a coin designer began in 2004. Before passing away in January 2015, Gamble had authored more than two-dozen coin and medal designs for the United States Mint (View Designer’s Profile).

Joseph “Joe” Menna is a prolific sculptor who joined the Mint in 2005. Menna became Chief Engraver in 2019 (View Designer’s Profile).

2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent – Presidency Specifications

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