Lincoln Wheat Cents
(1909 - 1959)
The Lincoln Wheat Cent was introduced in 1909 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, becoming the first U.S. circulating coin to feature a real historical figure. Designed by Victor David Brenner, the obverse displays Lincoln’s portrait, while the reverse features two wheat ears framing the denomination, giving the series its popular nickname.
The series was struck from 1909 through 1958 and saw several important composition changes. From 1909 through 1942, the cents were made primarily of 95% copper with small amounts of tin and zinc. In 1943, due to wartime copper shortages during World War II, the Mint produced cents from zinc-coated steel, creating the distinctive “steel cents.” The following year, in 1944, production returned to a copper-based alloy—largely sourced from recycled shell casings—and from 1944 through 1958 the composition remained 95% copper with 5% zinc (tin was removed from the alloy).
Collectors pay close attention to key dates and transitional errors, including the 1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 “No D,” and the famous 1943 bronze and 1944 steel off-metal strikes. With its historic debut, wartime steel composition, and numerous collectible varieties, the Lincoln Wheat Cent remains one of the most widely collected coin series in American numismatics.
Check out dates & mintages for Lincoln Wheat Cents, below.Business Strikes
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-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
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
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) | 684,628,670
1943-D (Steel) | 217,660,000
1943-S (Steel) | 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
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
Proof Strikes
1909 Proof | 2,618
1909-S Proof VDB | 1,194
1910 Proof | 4,083
1911 Proof | 1,725
1912 Proof | 2,172
1913 Proof | 2,983
1914 Proof | 1,365
1915 Proof | 1,150
1916 Proof | 1,050
1936 Proof | 5,569
1937 Proof | 9,320
1938 Proof | 14,734
1939 Proof | 13,520
1940 Proof | 15,872
1941 Proof | 21,100
1942 Proof | 32,600
1950 Proof | 51,386
1951 Proof | 57,500
1952 Proof | 81,980
1953 Proof | 128,800
1954 Proof | 233,300
1955 Proof | 378,200
1956 Proof | 669,384
1957 Proof | 1,247,952
1958 Proof | 875,652
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