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Who is on the penny? Abraham Lincoln and the cent's history

4 min read · Updated Oct 9, 2026

Who is on the penny today?

Abraham Lincoln appears on the front, or obverse, of the US cent. Lincoln's portrait has stayed on the front since 1909. The back, or reverse, has changed several times since then.

Why is Lincoln on the penny?

The Lincoln cent was introduced in 1909, the centennial of Lincoln's birth in 1809. Coins reached the public on August 2, 1909. President Theodore Roosevelt approved Brenner's design.

The ANA counts the Lincoln cent as the first circulating American coin to feature a real person rather than an allegory such as Liberty. For the year's values, see the 1909 penny value page.

Who designed the Lincoln penny?

Victor David Brenner (1871–1924) designed the portrait and the first wheat-ears back. He was a sculptor, engraver and medallist who emigrated to the United States in 1890. His earlier Lincoln work includes bronze reliefs he dated 1907.

Mint Director Leach objected that Brenner's full surname appeared on the design. Brenner agreed to replace it with small initials, V.D.B., at the base of the reverse. Public criticism of how prominent they were led to their removal in 1909. The initials came back in 1918 as smaller letters on Lincoln's shoulder, on the front. Our catalogue lists the initials as separate varieties: the 1909 V.D.B. 1909 V.D.B. and the 1909-S V.D.B. 1909-S V.D.B.. The 1909-S has a catalogue mintage of 484,000. Our estimate at G4 is $470, and that is an estimate, not an offer.

Read the 1909-S V.D.B. guide for a step-by-step check, and see the 1909 V.D.B. page.

Indian Head penny: who is it?

The Indian Head cent was minted from 1859 to 1909. It shows Liberty wearing an eagle-feathered headdress, so she is an allegorical figure, not a real person. James Barton Longacre, chief engraver at the Philadelphia Mint, designed it. The Lincoln cent replaced it in 1909.

The early Indian Head coins were 88% copper and 12% nickel. From 1864 they were bronze. For the last regular year, see 1909 and our Indian Head penny page.

What came before the Indian Head?

The Flying Eagle cent came just before it. James B. Longacre designed the eagle, based on Christian Gobrecht's earlier work. Patterns were struck from 1854 to 1856, and circulating coins came in 1857 and 1858. The eagle did not strike well, so the Indian Head replaced it in 1859. Flying Eagle coins were 88% copper and 12% nickel.

See 1857 and the Flying Eagle page.

Is the penny design changing in 2026?

For the nation's 250th anniversary, the Mint is producing commemorative collectible cents dated 1776~2026. Advisory bodies recommended the dual date with no other changes to the reverse. These are collector products. Check 2026 and read our end-of-the-penny guide for context.

Penny Value is an Android app for now, so it isn't on the App Store. The values and checks on this page are free to use.Penny Value is an Android app. Open this page on your Android phone to check your own penny with a photo.

Coins in this guide

• 1909 V.D.B.

  Philadelphia · 28 million made

  Semi-key

  $5.50worn

  $23.00MS-60
• 1909-S V.D.B.

  San Francisco · 484,000 made

  Key date

  $750worn

  $2,000MS-60
• 1909

  Philadelphia · 14.4 million made

  $6.00worn

  $63.00MS-60
• 1857

  Philadelphia · 17.5 million made

  $220worn

  $1,300MS-60
• 2026

  Philadelphia · From the 2026 Uncirculated Coin Set; the Philadelphia cent has no mint mark. The 300,000 set product limit is not a reported coin mintage.

  Collector issue

Related guides

• The 1909-S VDB: how to spot a real one
• Lincoln penny key dates: the short list worth knowing
• The end of the penny: what 2025 means for collectors

Sources

1. Wikipedia, “Lincoln cent” (accessed 2026-10-09)
2. Wikipedia, “Victor David Brenner” (accessed 2026-10-09)
3. Wikipedia, “Indian Head cent” (accessed 2026-10-09)
4. Wikipedia, “Flying Eagle cent” (accessed 2026-10-09)
5. American Numismatic Association (money.org), “9 Interesting Lincoln Cents” (accessed 2026-10-09)