We have seen various American coins and pennies, but have you ever wondered what is depicted on them? Well, there are several figures that can be seen on U.S. Penny. Yet a question like Who is on the Penny has appeared in your mind at least once.
The answer to this question unlocks many secrets of American History. From the first time, first coin minted in U.S. to the modern day half dollar, dollar coin and one-cent coin, every piece has a meaningful design highlighting its importance in U.S. currency. Let’s understand who is on the penny and their significance through this informative piece.
Abraham Lincoln is, in fact, the subject of the portrait on the obverse (heads side) of the US cent. Lincoln led the country through its most turbulent time, the American Civil War, from 1861 to his murder in 1865. His leadership was crucial in upholding the Union and enacting the Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery.
Putting Lincoln on the penny in 1909 was an accurate decision, breaking over a century of tradition.
Before 1909, circulating U.S. coins featured allegorical images such as Lady Liberty, not real people. This custom developed from a wish to stay away from European countries' monarchical customs, where rulers routinely appeared on currency. George Washington himself reportedly declined the honor. Lincoln became the first U.S. President featured on a regular-issue, circulating coin, a significant departure from the norm.
The primary driver for this change was the upcoming 100th birthday of president Abraham Lincoln's (February 12, 1909). Public enthusiasm for commemorating the beloved president was high, creating the momentum needed to overcome the long-standing aversion to presidential portraits on coins.
One of the main supporters of the Lincoln cent was President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt, who admired Lincoln, likewise worked to raise the standard of American coinage's aesthetics. He made sure the design was released in time for the centennial celebration by hiring sculptor Victor David Brenner to build it.
Victor David Brenner, a Lithuanian-born sculptor, based his iconic Lincoln profile on earlier works, likely a 1907 plaque he created, which in turn may have been inspired by an 1864 photograph of Lincoln taken in Mathew Brady's studio. Brenner's design captured a sense of Lincoln's character and has remained largely unchanged on the obverse ever since.
It is necessary to comprehend the man in order to comprehend the penny. The American dream is embodied in Lincoln's life. He was mainly self-educated and worked at a variety of occupations before becoming a prosperous lawyer and politician in Illinois. He was born into poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1809.
He gained national prominence as a result of his resistance to the spread of slavery, and in 1860 he was elected as the first Republican president. His main objective was to keep the Union intact during the Civil War, which defined his presidency.
His leadership was essential to the Union's success, especially the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), which freed slaves in Confederate territory and permitted Black soldiers to enlist. He supported the 13th Amendment, which outlawed slavery across the country. Lincoln, who was assassinated in April 1865, a few days after the war ended, was considered one of America's finest presidents and a martyr for liberty and Union.
While Lincoln's portrait remained constant, the reverse (tails side) of the penny has seen several distinct designs over its history.
The original reverse, also designed by Victor David Brenner, featured two stylized stalks of durum wheat flanking the denomination "ONE CENT" and "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA". Often called the "Wheat Penny" or "Wheatie," this design symbolized national prosperity and America's agricultural roots. It remained for half a century.
To mark the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth in 1959, the reverse was updated to feature an image of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.. Designed by Frank Gasparro, whose initials "FG" appear subtly near the monument's base, This design became immediately noticeable and lasted nearly 50 years. Minor variations in the design, particularly Gasparro's initials, occurred during this period.
In 2009, celebrating both Lincoln's 200th birthday and the penny's 100th anniversary, the United States Mint released four distinct reverse designs, mandated by the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005. Each depicted a major stage in Lincoln's life:
Following the bicentennial year, a new permanent reverse design, the Union Shield, was introduced in 2010, also mandated by the 2005 Act. Designed by Lyndall Bass and sculpted by Joseph Menna, the shield's vertical stripes symbolize the founding states, which are unified under the federal government's "E PLURIBUS UNUM" bar. Lincoln's commitment to maintaining the United States as a single, cohesive nation is symbolized by this design.
There was some instability around the Lincoln cent's launch. The initials "VDB" of Brenner were prominently displayed on the reverse of the original 1909 Wheat cent. Days after the initials were released, the Mint removed them due to public concern that the advertisement was inappropriate. This produced the valuable and uncommon "1909 VDB" cents, particularly the San Francisco-minted ones (1909-S VDB). In 1918, Brenner's initials were finally put back on the obverse beneath Lincoln's shoulder, albeit considerably smaller, and they are still there today.
Due to wartime requirements and economic considerations, the penny's metal content has changed significantly over time.
The cultural significance of the Lincoln penny is significantly greater than its monetary worth.
The penny is at the heart of a long-running controversy regarding its economic feasibility, despite its cultural importance.
Numerous attempts to eliminate the penny in Congress have failed. Yet, more use of digital payment methods minimizes the physical cash requirement, and the penny production has decreased. In February 2025, President Trump announced an instruction to halt penny production, citing cost, though the legal authority for this without Congressional action is debated. The penny's future remains uncertain.
The Lincoln penny is far more than just one cent. It's a miniature monument to one of America's most consequential presidents, a canvas reflecting evolving national symbols, and an apparent connection to nearly a century of history.. From the controversial debut of Lincoln's portrait and Brenner's initials to the wartime steel cents and the modern debate over its very existence, the penny shows the tension among symbolism, tradition, and economic pragmatism. The tale of Honest Abe's cent provides a distinctive window into America, whether it survives or disappears into the past.
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