Lincoln Memorial Cent

United States · 1965

A United States Lincoln Memorial cent featuring a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse.

Country: United States
Year: 1965
Denomination: 1 Cent (One Cent)
Metal: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc

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Identified September 7, 2026More united states coins →

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Overview

A United States Lincoln Memorial cent featuring a portrait of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse.

Historical significance

The Lincoln Memorial reverse was introduced in 1959 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. The year 1965 falls during the coin shortage era of the mid-1960s when mint marks were temporarily omitted from all US coins to discourage hoarding.

Obverse (front)

Features the bust of President Abraham Lincoln facing right, with the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' across the top, 'LIBERTY' and the year '1965' to the left and right respectively. Designed by Victor David Brenner.

Reverse (back)

Depicts the Lincoln Memorial building with the motto 'E PLURIBUS UNUM' above, surrounded by 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' and the denomination 'ONE CENT'. Designed by Frank Gasparro.

Estimated value

$0.01 to $0.15 in circulated condition

What drives this coin's value

Condition, presence of original mint luster, and error varieties such as doubled dies strongly influence value, though common circulation strikes have very low numismatic premiums.

Grade assessment

About Uncirculated to Mint State (AU/MS) with minor surface toning and wear consistent with light handling.

Mintage & rarity

Billions minted across Philadelphia and Denver mints; extremely common and not rare

Authenticity & counterfeit red flags

1965 cents are extremely common in circulation; counterfeiting them is economically unviable. Watch for altered dates if looking for rare dates, but a 1965 cent requires no special authentication.

Notable varieties & errors

Look for minor doubled die obverse (DDO) or reverse varieties, though major dramatic errors command higher collector interest.

Similar coins

Other Lincoln Memorial cents from the 1960s and 1970s, which share the exact same design specifications.

Care & preservation

Handle by the edges using clean cotton gloves or bare, washed hands. Store in a cool, dry environment in archival-safe holders such as mylar flips or 2x2 cardboard coin holders. Never clean the coin, as harsh cleaning destroys its numismatic value.