Is a high relief looking lincoln cent an error of some sort. The pic dosen't really do it justice, as it looks similiar to a 1921 peace in that the cameo is really deep and the depth goes higher as it gets closer to the edge.
It's easy to tell an "older" cent just by the relief. There actually was some back then. Hope the 2009's have some!
I believe it was in 1969 that they modified the dies so there was more detail and a slightly lower relief appearance about the cent. It also brought the lettering back from crowding the rim.
I've heard the original wheat cent design is coming back for collectors in the original 95% copper composition. So I'm assuming it will not be a circulated piece. Let's hope it is as nicely struck as the original also. Let's hope the mint doesn't let us down!
By 1968 the masters had spread so far from repeated use that a lot of those 60's cents look like they were punched and punched and punched.
I am glad someone asked this, I just found some last night and I was wondering the same thing. Great post.
Maybe I'm interpreting this wrong, but I'll quote Coinage: January2009. "New coin designs for 2009 include six new territorial quarters. Due just after the first of the year Washington, D.C."state quarter. Then follows at eight week intervals the insular territories: Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoas, Commonwealth of Northern Marianas, American Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. We'll also see five different Lincoln cents: four for circulation, all five for collectors. The first is Lincoln during his Kentucky period, followed by Indiana. Illinois and adulthood is third, and finally his years of presidential service in Washington, D.C. The fifth coin is intended for collectors: the bronze cent in its original composition using the 1909 design." I know it isn't real specific, and it lists American Samoa twice. I would guess we would get at least one of two things: either wheat ears or a decent relief similar to the Lincoln cent of the teens and twenties.:thumb:
This is a cool link to the mint web site. http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/ind...ing=lincoln&formBool=AND&formYear=ALL&group=1
You aren't interpreting it wrong, but they ARE interpreting the legislation wrong. The legislation does require the 2009 cent to return to the original design (and I think relief) used in 1909, but only for the obv and it is to be combined with the four reverses. The legislation also permits (but does not require) the mint to strike examples of these four coins in the original composition used in 1909. So there will be at least 12 different 2009 cents (at least 20 if you consider the satin finish pieces to me different ), 16 if the make the S proofs in both zinc and bronze (24 including the satin finish), and if the make the mint set pieces in both metals you can have as many as 32 different varieties.
Thank you Conder for the information and clearing up some misconceptions. I'd be surprized if even Ed Moy knows what's going on with the Lincoln cents. We can ALL remain hopeful that they make a wheat cent again for one year somehow.
