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Lincoln Bicentennial Cent

2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent Series: Major Varieties and Mint Errors

2009 Lincoln Bicentennial Cent Series

Design and composition

The U.S. Mint issued four sequential reverses throughout 2009 to mark the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth and the centennial of the Lincoln cent. All retain Victor David Brenner’s Lincoln obverse. Ordinary Philadelphia and Denver circulation strikes are copper-plated zinc and weigh about 2.50 grams. The special satin-finish Uncirculated and proof collector versions used the original 95%-copper alloy and weigh about 3.11 grams. That heavier authorized composition is not a wrong-planchet error. For orientation, PCGS records a circulation mintage of 376,000,000 Philadelphia Formative Years cents; the number struck from each doubled die is unknown. [1][3][4]

Key design details

Scope and attribution standard

This review draft covers all four 2009 reverse designs, the nine major Formative Years doubled-die reverses listed by PCGS as FS-801 through FS-809, and the principal mechanical error classes applicable to the series. Repeatable die varieties are separated from one-off striking, planchet and plating errors. No source photographs are reproduced. [2][3][5]

What is not covered: Ordinary date-and-mint issues, minor specialist WDDR dies, die stages and damage lookalikes fall outside this major-variety guide. Their omission does not mean no specialist attributions exist.

About the diagrams: These are original CoinHunt educational schematics, not coin photographs. Design maps identify the four reverse concepts; variety maps direct attention to Lincoln’s hand and book; error maps identify the physical evidence to examine.

The four reverse designs

Birth and Early Childhood in Kentucky

A one-room log cabin representing Lincoln’s birthplace near Hodgenville, Kentucky.

Designer: Richard Masters
Sculptor: Jim Licaretz

CoinHunt original design schematic: Birth and Early Childhood in KentuckyDESIGN MAPBirth and Early Childhood in KentuckyOriginal educational schematicNot a coin photograph

Formative Years in Indiana

A young Lincoln reading while resting from rail splitting, representing his Indiana years from 1816 to 1830.

Designer: Charles Vickers
Sculptor: Charles Vickers

CoinHunt original design schematic: Formative Years in IndianaDESIGN MAPFormative Years in IndianaOriginal educational schematicNot a coin photograph

Professional Life in Illinois

Lincoln standing before the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, representing his legal and political career.

Designer: Joel Iskowitz
Sculptor: Don Everhart

CoinHunt original design schematic: Professional Life in IllinoisDESIGN MAPProfessional Life in IllinoisOriginal educational schematicNot a coin photograph

Presidency in Washington, D.C.

The unfinished United States Capitol dome during Lincoln’s presidency, including intentional scaffolding and construction details.

Designer: Susan Gamble
Sculptor: Joseph Menna

CoinHunt original design schematic: Presidency in Washington, D.C.DESIGN MAPPresidency in Washington, D.C.Original educational schematicNot a coin photograph

Varieties

Quick jump: FS-801 · FS-802 · FS-803 · FS-804 · FS-805 · FS-806 · FS-807 · FS-808 · FS-809

The major PCGS-listed varieties are nine Philadelphia Formative Years doubled-die reverses. They are separate dies—not nine names for one coin. Each shows a different raised duplication around Lincoln’s hand and book. PCGS identifies the family as FS-801 through FS-809; numerous additional specialist WDDR dies fall outside this major-variety guide. [2][3]

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-801

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look for partial raised index- and middle-finger images between the thumb and normal index finger. A small raised segment of the book spine also appears just above the front of the thumb. Match all three placements; a zinc blister, hit or plating split is not the variety.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-801; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-801INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-801 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-802

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look between the thumb and index finger for partial raised index- and middle-finger images. The distinctive companion marker is a second impression of the top of the book running diagonally through the book’s pages.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-802; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-802INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-802 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-803

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look for one strong raised extra index finger between the thumb and normal index finger. Its single bold projection separates the primary design from the multi-finger patterns of FS-801 and FS-802.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-803; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-803INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-803 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-804

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look between the back of the thumb and index finger for strong raised doubling, with an additional raised segment above the front of the thumb. Confirm both locations because this die can resemble FS-803 at a glance.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-804; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-804INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-804 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-805

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look below the bottom edge of the book for a strong raised extra index finger. A smaller raised portion of an extra thumb appears above the middle of the normal index finger where it meets the book spine.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-805; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-805INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-805 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-806

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look just below the thumb for a partial raised extra index finger. A small duplicated segment of the book spine sits above the thumb; both features should be present before assigning FS-806.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-806; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-806INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-806 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-807

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look just below the thumb for a partial raised extra index finger. The projection is confined to that lower-thumb area rather than forming the paired index-and-middle-finger pattern seen on several other dies.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-807; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-807INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-807 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-808

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look between the thumb and normal index finger for a strong raised extra index finger. A smaller partial extra middle finger appears just above the normal index finger on the spine of the book.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-808; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-808INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-808 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

2009 Formative Years DDR FS-809

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Inspect the hand-to-book junction for the FS-809 raised doubled-finger pattern. Its concise location marker is the small raised fingertip-like projection nearest the book spine; because the public service text does not describe a finer standalone marker, confirm its exact position and curvature against the current PCGS or NGC attribution image.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-809; major Formative Years DDR family. PCGS family record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2009 Formative Years DDR FS-809INSPECThand and book junctionFirst: find raised duplicationThen match FS-809 exactlyRAISED RELIEF—not a flat shelf

Errors

These are mechanical striking, planchet or plating errors, not repeatable doubled-die varieties. They may occur on any of the four reverse designs and must be authenticated from the physical evidence on the individual coin.

Off-center Strike

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

A blank crescent and corresponding loss of design show that the planchet was not centered between the dies. Remaining devices should show normal Mint metal flow. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: Off-center StrikeINSPECTrim evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Broadstrike

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

The coin spread beyond normal diameter because the collar did not fully restrain it. Look for an expanded perimeter with an otherwise complete central design. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: BroadstrikeINSPECTrim evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Double or Multiple Strike

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Two or more press strikes left overlapping raised designs with coherent coining geometry. Vise damage and impacts do not reproduce the same metal flow. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: Double or Multiple StrikeINSPECTfield evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Brockage

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

A previously struck coin impressed a recessed, mirror-image design into the next planchet. The transferred image must be incuse and reversed. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: BrockageINSPECTfield evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Clipped Planchet

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

A genuine clip shows compatible metal flow and often a weakened rim opposite the missing arc—the Blakesley effect. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: Clipped PlanchetINSPECTedge evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Struck-through

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Foreign material between a die and planchet left a recessed texture or missing design. A retained struck-through still contains the object. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: Struck-throughINSPECTfield evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Wrong-planchet or Off-metal Strike

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Diameter, calibrated weight, composition, edge and design fit must all support a planchet intended for another coin. Color alone proves nothing. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: Wrong-planchet or Off-metal StrikeINSPECTweight evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

Copper-plating Error

Applicable design(s): All four 2009 Bicentennial reverses

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

On a normal 2.50-gram zinc-core circulation strike, genuine missing or split plating must show Mint-made strike evidence: the design should continue naturally through the affected area, and a split should follow strike-related metal flow. Dull gray corrosion, white zinc oxidation, raised bubbles, scraping and aftermarket plating are post-Mint problems unless the production evidence proves otherwise. [6]

CoinHunt original error map: Copper-plating ErrorINSPECTfield evidenceConfirm physical evidenceReject post-Mint damage

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Sources

  1. U.S. Mint: Lincoln Bicentennial One Cent Program. Official program, design and designer information.
  2. PCGS: Varieties, Errors, & More. Major-series context for the Formative Years doubled-finger family.
  3. PCGS CoinFacts: Formative Years DDR FS-809 family page. Major-variety list including FS-801 through FS-809.
  4. PCGS CoinFacts: Lincoln Cent, Modern. Specifications, compositions and design records.
  5. NGC VarietyPlus: Lincoln Cents, Bicentennial and Shield Reverse. Attribution context for recognized 2009-and-later varieties.
  6. CONECA: Glossary of Error-Variety Terms. Definitions for doubled dies and mechanical mint errors.

Editorial boundary: The U.S. Mint, PCGS, NGC and CONECA are credited for historical, catalog and diagnostic research. CoinHunt reproduces no source photographs. Every SVG is an original educational schematic and is not a substitute for certified comparison images.

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