Different Kinds of Pennies
U.S. penny varieties have gotten complicated with all the design changes, composition shifts, and error hunting flying around. As someone who has collected Lincoln cents since childhood and expanded into earlier types, I learned everything there is to know about the evolution of the American one-cent piece. Today, I will share it all with you.
Early Cents (1793-1857)
Probably should have led with this section, honestly—America’s first pennies were massive, nearly pure copper coins the size of half dollars. The Large Cent series ran through multiple designs:
- Flowing Hair (1793)
- Liberty Cap (1793-1796)
- Draped Bust (1796-1807)
- Classic Head (1808-1814)
- Matron Head (1816-1839)
- Braided Hair (1839-1857)
Small Cents Begin
Rising copper prices forced a size reduction. The Flying Eagle (1856-1858) and Indian Head (1859-1909) cents bridged the gap to our modern era.
The Lincoln Era (1909-Present)
That’s what makes Lincoln cents endearing to us collectors—the longest-running design in U.S. coinage:
- Wheat reverse (1909-1958): The classic design most people remember
- Memorial reverse (1959-2008): Lincoln Memorial on back
- Shield reverse (2010-present): Current design
Composition Changes
- 1909-1942: 95% copper
- 1943: Zinc-coated steel (wartime)
- 1944-1946: Recycled brass shell casings
- 1947-1982: 95% copper
- 1982-present: Copper-plated zinc
Key Dates to Know
1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 no D, 1943 copper, 1955 doubled die—these are the coins that make headlines and command serious money.
