Lincoln Wheat Penny

1909–1958

Designed by Victor David Brenner, the Lincoln cent replaced the Indian Head cent in 1909 -- the first US coin to depict a real person. The reverse (two wheat ears flanking ONE CENT) ran until 1958, when it was replaced by the Lincoln Memorial design. Struck at Philadelphia (no mark), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S) across the run, with a one-year wartime switch to zinc-coated steel in 1943.