Numismatic

2009 Lincoln Cent Professional Life BU (Red)

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In 2009, the United States Mint released a special series of pennies to honor two major milestones simultaneously: the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth in 1809 and the centennial of the classic Lincoln cent, which first debuted in 1909. This particular issue, preserved in Brilliant Uncirculated condition with its original red luster, highlights a pivotal era in the future president's development. The reverse of the coin focuses on Lincoln's professional life in Illinois. It features a detailed depiction of a young Lincoln standing before the state capitol building in Springfield, representing his early career as a lawyer and politician. This intricate scene was crafted by artists Joel Iskowitz and Don Everhart. Surrounding the design are the traditional inscriptions denoting the nation of issue, the denomination of one cent, and the Latin motto meaning out of many, one. On the obverse, the coin retains the iconic right-facing portrait of Abraham Lincoln originally created by Victor David Brenner. This familiar likeness is accompanied by the inscriptions of liberty and the national motto expressing trust in God, alongside the 2009 year of issue. Strikingly different from the bronze pennies of the early twentieth century, this modern coin is composed of a zinc core plated with a thin layer of copper, resulting in a composition of 99.2 percent zinc and 0.8 percent copper.