First U.S. Coin to Feature a Real Person: The Lincoln cent, introduced in 1909, was the first U.S. coin to feature an actual person, President Abraham Lincoln, rather than an allegorical figure.
Designed by Victor David Brenner: The coin’s design was created by sculptor Victor David Brenner. His initials, "VDB," were originally included on the reverse but were removed due to controversy and then restored in 1918 on the obverse.
Centennial of Lincoln's Birth: The Lincoln cent was released to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth in 1809.
Wheat Ears Reverse: From 1909 to 1958, the reverse side of the coin featured two wheat ears, earning it the nickname "wheat penny."
Lincoln Memorial Reverse: In 1959, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth, the reverse design was changed to feature the Lincoln Memorial, with a tiny image of Lincoln visible between the columns.
Steel Cents of 1943: Due to a copper shortage during World War II, Lincoln cents were made from zinc-coated steel in 1943. These steel cents are magnetic, unlike the usual copper ones.
Composition Changes: The composition of the Lincoln cent has changed over the years. Initially made of 95% copper, in 1982 the mint switched to a copper-plated zinc core due to rising copper prices.
Wide Variety of Errors: Lincoln cents are popular among collectors for their wide variety of minting errors and varieties, including doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and off-center strikes.
Longest Running Design: The Lincoln cent holds the record for the longest-running design in U.S. coinage history, remaining largely unchanged since its introduction over a century ago.