U.S. Mint coin reference
Four reverse designs tracing Abraham Lincoln’s life from Kentucky to the presidency.
Four one-year Lincoln cent reverses marked the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth in 2009: Birth and Early Childhood, Formative Years, Professional Life, and Presidency.
Circulation pieces use copper-plated zinc, while special numismatic cents in Mint Sets use the bronze composition of the original 1909 cent. Weight separates the two planchet standards.
The 2009 program used four reverses representing Lincoln's birth and early childhood, formative years, professional life, and presidency. The four-design sequence is a separate one-year type between the Memorial reverse and the Union Shield.
Composition and format: Circulating Philadelphia and Denver coins use the copper-plated zinc composition. Uncirculated cents in the 2009 Mint sets were struck in a 95% copper alloy matching the original 1909 cent specification, making weight and product origin relevant to attribution.
Set organization: Collectors distinguish all four reverse themes by mint and finish rather than treating "2009 Lincoln cent" as a single design. Proofs were struck at San Francisco.