The new penny designs, which appeared on the reverse, or “tails” side, depict four different periods in the life of revered U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. While the obverse remains unchanged. The United States Mint released the new pennies one at a time, each about three months apart. On Feb. 12, 2009, the Mint released the first penny on the 200th Anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. Be aware that collectors have found some die varieties on the reverse. Look for some doubling on the ends of the logs on the corner of the cabin. The doubling is minute, and you will need at least a 5X-10X magnifying glass to see the doubling on the ends of the logs. If you find one of these die varieties, the added premium ranges from a few dollars to ten dollars depending upon which variety you find. Additionally, the coin’s condition is a significant determinant of its value. This coin has the most die varieties of any coin in the series. Most of the die varieties involved Lincoln’s hand holding the book. Some of the more minor varieties make it look like there is a shadow by Lincoln’s fingers. Other more dramatic varieties seem like there are other fingers on Lincoln’s hands. The more dramatic die varieties and a little value to the premium of the coin’s value. However, none of the die varieties are rare or expensive. AIP Master Designer Joel Iskowitz created the design for this coin, and it was sculpted by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Don Everhart. The U.S. was torn apart by the Civil War and its underlying moral struggle regarding slavery. Lincoln sought to build consensus and compromise and attempted to heal the nation after this terrible conflict. The construction of the U.S. Capitol dome, which was completed during Lincoln’s first term, stands as an excellent symbol of everything Lincoln stood for. The depiction on the coin is pretty much the same as the Capitol building appeared during Lincoln’s Inauguration as President on March 4, 1861. AIP Master Designer Susan Gamble created the design for this penny and was sculpted by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Joseph Menna. Fortunately, Lincoln’s presidency happened shortly after this photography became widely published. This photograph provided crucial documentation of how the United States Capitol in Washington D.C., looked during Lincoln’s presidency. The next image in this gallery shows how two different 2009 penny artists depicted Lincoln’s face. When you look at the image of Lincoln in the third coin in this series, you can see that Iskowitz has somehow magically conveyed the hopes and dreams of a confident, but perhaps still an uncertain young man. Lincoln stands with his arm out to command your attention without demanding it, while the hand behind his back shows an artful combination of openness and a hint of insecurity. We see Lincoln as the human being he was, with quirks and fears and hopes and dreams, rather than as the stern-faced, bearded icon that we know from our currency. In the enlargement of Lincoln’s face, especially in the eyes, Iskowitz had captured the emotion that Lincoln felt when he gave his “House Divided” speech at the Illinois Statehouse in 1858. Too bad this beautiful face is so teeny on the finished coin that we’ll hardly see the beauty here. Contrast Iskowitz’s “fiery young orator” Lincoln with Charles Vickers’ portrait (left image) of Lincoln reading as a youth. Vickers tells his story in the overall body language, rather than in the details of the face; Lincoln is depicted as a sensitive young man, given more to books and studying than the physical toll of log-splitting. Where are the muscles a manual laborer doing this work would have? Vickers’ Lincoln is just passing through the log-splitting job, taking a break, as it were, from Lincoln’s real-life work, which was primarily intellectual rather than physical.
