Small Cents revolutionized American commerce in 1857, replacing the bulky Large Cent with a convenient copper-nickel (and later bronze) alloy. This category tracks the evolution of the penny from the short-lived Flying Eagle to the iconic Lincoln portrait, covering over 160 years of minting history.
By 1856, the Large Cent had become too expensive to produce. The U.S. Mint responded by shrinking the cent and changing its composition to a more durable copper-nickel alloy. This birthed the Small Cent era, a category that includes some of the most famous coins in the world, from the Flying Eagle to the ubiquitous Lincoln Cent.
The Small Cent Silos: This category is divided into three major movements: the short-lived Flying Eagle, the 50-year run of the Indian Head Penny, and the Lincoln Cent—the longest-running design in U.S. coinage history. Collectors focus on “Red” (RD) vs. “Brown” (BN) color designations and “Condition Rarities.” In this hub, you will find information on the transition from the 90% copper “Wheat Penny” to the modern zinc-core Shield Cent, as well as the world of “Cherry-Picking” for famous doubled die errors.
The Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent is perhaps the most collected coin in human history. Struck from 1909 until 1958, it was the first circulating United States coin to feature a portrait of a real person—a radical departure from the various “Liberty” figures that preceded it. Designed by Victor David Brenner under the direction of President…
The Union Shield Cents serve as the fifth and final chapter in the story of the Lincoln penny’s redesign. Debuting in 2010, the Union Shield reverse replaced the four-piece Bicentennial series of 2009 and the long-running Memorial reverse that had been a staple since 1959. This design was specifically chosen to represent Lincoln’s successful preservation…
The Lincoln Memorial Cents are perhaps the most recognized coins in the world, having served as the primary small-denomination currency of the United States for half a century. Introduced in 1959 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, the Memorial reverse replaced the iconic “Wheat Ears” design that had been in place since…
The Lincoln Bicentennial Cents of 2009 are a landmark tribute to the most celebrated figure in American numismatics. While Victor David Brenner’s iconic obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln remained largely unchanged, the reverse of the coin was transformed into a four-part narrative of Lincoln’s life. This series was a massive undertaking by the United States…
The Indian Head Cent is more than just a piece of obsolete currency; it is an icon of American heritage. Introduced in 1859 to replace the short-lived Flying Eagle design, it remained the nation’s primary small-denomination coin for fifty years. While the design is famously known as the “Indian” penny, it actually depicts Lady Liberty…
The Flying Eagle Cent is the pivot point of American numismatics. Introduced in the mid-1850s, it signaled the end of the massive, pure-copper Large Cents that had been the standard since 1793. For the collector, this series is a compact masterpiece—spanning only three official years (1856–1858) but containing one of the most famous rarities in…
Small Cents represent the modern era of American coinage. While the transition from the Large Cent in 1857 was initially met with some skepticism by a public used to heavy copper, the “new” small penny quickly became an indispensable part of daily life. Spanning from the short-lived Flying Eagle cent to the ubiquitous Lincoln Cent…