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Lincoln Shield Cent

Lincoln Shield Cent Series (2010–2025): Major Varieties and Mint Errors

Lincoln Shield Cent Series

Mint dates for this design: 2010–2025

Design and composition

The Union shield reverse debuted in 2010. Lyndall Bass designed it and Joseph Menna sculpted it. The shield’s 13 vertical stripes and horizontal bar symbolize the states joined under the federal government; the reverse also carries E PLURIBUS UNUM, ONE CENT and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The obverse retains Victor David Brenner’s Lincoln portrait. Regular coins have a copper-plated zinc composition, weigh about 2.50 grams, measure about 19.05 millimeters and have a plain edge. The Shield design ran through 2025; the U.S. Mint introduced one-year Semiquincentennial circulating designs for 2026. [1][2]

Shield cents were struck for circulation on a billion-coin scale in many years. The 2019-W cent was different: a 346,117-piece West Point collector issue, not a mint error or one of the die varieties below. [7]

CoinHunt original design schematic: Lincoln Shield cent reverseE PLURIBUS UNUMONE CENTUNITED STATES OF AMERICADESIGN MAPUnion shield reverseOriginal educational schematicNot a coin photograph

Key design details

Scope and attribution standard

This review draft includes only the five Shield-cent varieties in NGC’s current VarietyPlus checklist: the 2014, 2015, 2018-D and 2019 doubled-die obverses and the 2023 Extra “V.” PCGS and specialist catalogs document additional doubled dies, but those are outside this deliberately narrow major-variety guide. Repeatable die varieties are separated from one-off striking, planchet and plating errors. No source photographs are reproduced. [3][5]

What is not covered: Ordinary dates and mintmarks—including special issues such as the 2019-W—minor specialist dies, die stages, die deterioration and damage lookalikes are not varieties in this checklist.

About the diagrams: These are original CoinHunt educational schematics, not coin photographs. Their callouts identify the first area to inspect; final attribution requires the complete published marker pattern.

Varieties

Quick jump: 2014 · 2015 · 2018-D · 2019 · 2023

2014 DDO (FS-101 / NGC VP-001)

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Inspect the date and obverse lettering for rounded extra thickness from genuine hub doubling. The effect must repeat across more than one element; a flat, shelf-like edge that shaves away part of a digit or letter is machine doubling.

Catalog references: PCGS FS-101; NGC VP-001; CONECA DDO-003. Specific attribution record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2014 DDO (FS-101 / NGC VP-001)LIBERTYDATEVDBINSPECTdate and obverse letteringFirst: find raised reliefThen match the listed dieRAISED—not a flat shelf or bubble

2015 DDO (NGC VP-001)

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look first for the strong southeast spread on the date and LIBERTY. The distinctive companion marker is weaker doubling in IN GOD WE TRUST that increases from left to right. Match that directional pattern across all three areas; flat strike doubling on one digit is not this die.

Catalog references: NGC VP-001; CONECA DDO-001; Wexler WDDO-006. Specific attribution record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2015 DDO (NGC VP-001)LIBERTYDATEVDBINSPECTdate, LIBERTY and mottoFirst: find raised reliefThen match the listed dieRAISED—not a flat shelf or bubble

2018-D DDO (NGC VP-001)

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Use magnification on Lincoln’s earlobe. The distinctive raised doubling is on the left side of the lower lobe; a supporting die-state marker is a crack running north-northwest from the eyebrow into the forehead. Require the curved secondary relief and published placement; a hit, zinc bubble or flat shelf is not this variety.

Catalog references: NGC VP-001; CONECA DDO-001. Specific attribution record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2018-D DDO (NGC VP-001)LIBERTYDATEVDBINSPECTLincoln’s lower earFirst: find raised reliefThen match the listed dieRAISED—not a flat shelf or bubble

2019 DDO (NGC VP-001)

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Inspect the lower ear for a separate raised secondary lobe projecting below the primary ear contour. That below-the-lobe placement is the first marker to match; displaced flat metal, corrosion and plating blisters do not create a doubled die.

Catalog references: NGC VP-001; CONECA DDO-001. Specific attribution record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2019 DDO (NGC VP-001)LIBERTYDATEVDBINSPECTLincoln’s lower earFirst: find raised reliefThen match the listed dieRAISED—not a flat shelf or bubble

2023 Extra “V” (NGC VP-001)

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

Look immediately beside the VDB initials near the bottom of Lincoln’s shoulder for a small raised V-shaped element. It must have the recognized position and relief; a scratch, plating split or random contact mark is not the Extra “V.” [4]

Catalog references: NGC VP-001; commonly called the 2023 Extra “V.” Specific attribution record.

CoinHunt original inspection map: 2023 Extra “V” (NGC VP-001)LIBERTYDATEVDBINSPECTVDB and shoulderFirst: find raised reliefThen match the listed dieRAISED—not a flat shelf or bubble

Errors

These are mechanical striking, planchet or plating errors, not repeatable die varieties. They can occur on Shield cents of multiple dates and must be authenticated from the physical evidence on the individual coin.

Off-center Strike

Applicable date(s): 2010–2025

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. The surviving design should show normal Mint metal flow. [6]

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

Broadstrike

Applicable date(s): 2010–2025

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 date(s): 2010–2025

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 date(s): 2010–2025

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 date(s): 2010–2025

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 date(s): 2010–2025

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 date(s): 2010–2025

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 date(s): 2010–2025

Do You Have One? What To Look For:

On a normal 2.50-gram zinc-core cent, genuine missing or split plating must show Mint-made strike evidence: the design continues naturally through the affected area, and a split follows strike-related metal flow. Dull gray corrosion, white zinc oxidation, raised bubbles, scraping and aftermarket plating are post-Mint problems unless 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: 2010 Lincoln One-Cent Coin Launch. Official Shield reverse introduction, design meaning and composition.
  2. U.S. Mint: Semiquincentennial Circulating Coins. Official confirmation of the one-year 2026 circulating designs.
  3. NGC VarietyPlus: Lincoln Cents, Bicentennial and Shield Reverse. Major Shield-cent checklist and cross-references.
  4. NGC: Face Value—2023 Extra V Cent. Extra V diagnostic location and attribution context.
  5. PCGS: Varieties, Errors, & More. Specialist doubled-die context and doubled-ear diagnostics.
  6. CONECA: Glossary of Error-Variety Terms. Definitions for doubled dies and mechanical mint errors.
  7. PCGS CoinFacts: 2019-W Lincoln Shield Cent. Special collector-issue context and reported mintage.

Editorial boundary: The U.S. Mint, NGC, PCGS 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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