2019, Lincoln Memorial Cent: Surprising Revival of a Classic Reverse

The 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent is one of the most surprising modern U.S. coins to surface in recent memory – a one-year-only revival of a beloved reverse design that most collectors assumed had retired for good in 2008. While billions of standard 2019 pennies carry the Union Shield reverse introduced in 2010, this Memorial variety brought back Frank Gasparro’s iconic Lincoln Memorial image without much fanfare, catching collectors off guard and sparking serious interest in what most people dismiss as pocket change.

This article takes a different angle from our existing content on selling gold and silver. Rather than focusing on melt values or precious metal transactions, we are diving into copper-zinc numismatics – specifically how the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent fits into the broader Lincoln cent collecting market, how to identify and grade it, and why it deserves a spot in any serious collection alongside higher-value coins.

What Makes the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent Different

Most 2019 pennies you pull from your wallet show the Union Shield reverse – Lyndall Bass’s design that has appeared on circulation cents since 2010. The 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent breaks from that pattern entirely by resurrecting Gasparro’s Memorial reverse, which originally debuted in 1959 and ran through 2008.

The Memorial design shows the Lincoln Memorial’s steps and columns, framed by “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,” “ONE CENT,” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.” It is unmistakable once you know what to look for. The Shield reverse, by contrast, shows a vertical torch flanked by laurel branches inside a Union shield – clean, modern, and far less nostalgic.

The obverse is unchanged from Lincoln’s 1909 debut – Victor David Brenner’s portrait of Lincoln facing right, with “IN GOD WE TRUST,” “LIBERTY,” and the date. That design has never changed in over 115 years, making it the longest-running portrait on any U.S. coin.

A Brief History of the Lincoln Cent Reverse Designs

Understanding why the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent matters requires a quick look at where it fits in the timeline. The Lincoln cent has carried four distinct reverse designs since 1909, and the 2019 Memorial issue connects directly to that history.

The 1959 Memorial design was itself a shock when it launched. The Mint announced it just days before production began, honoring Lincoln’s 150th birthday. It ran through some of the highest-mintage years in U.S. coinage history, with billions produced annually during peak circulation decades.

The history of Lincoln Wheat Pennies shows how dramatically collector interest can shift based on design changes and mintage scarcity. The same dynamic applies here – the 2019 Memorial cent is rare not because of production error, but because it was unexpected, brief, and largely unannounced.

For context on how earlier Lincoln cents have appreciated based on condition and mint mark, the 1980 Lincoln Memorial Cent 4 article on our site covers how even common-era Memorial cents can carry meaningful premiums in top grades.

Composition, Specifications, and Physical Details

Every U.S. cent struck since 1982 shares the same basic specs. The 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent is no exception.

The copper plating is thin – just enough to give the coin its familiar color. This matters for collectors because the red (RD) designation from grading services like PCGS or NGC requires that original luster to be preserved. Once a coin tones to brown (BN), its grade ceiling drops significantly.

Weigh any suspect coin on a digital scale. A genuine zinc cent reads 2.50 grams. Pre-1982 copper cents weigh 3.11 grams. That difference is easy to detect and helps rule out altered dates or wrong-planchet errors immediately.

Mint Marks and Varieties: What to Look For

Not every 2019 cent with a Memorial reverse is the same. Knowing which varieties exist – and which carry the most collector interest – is the foundation of smart searching.

1. Philadelphia (no mintmark or “P”): The primary source of Memorial reverse cents. Philadelphia-struck coins typically show no mintmark, though some sets include a “P.” Look for crisp detail on the Memorial steps and columns.
2. Denver (D mintmark): Denver also produced Memorial reverse cents in 2019. The D mintmark appears below the date on the obverse. Denver issues tend to have slightly higher original mintages, but high-grade survivors are still scarce.
3. West Point (W mintmark): The 2019-W cent carries the Union Shield reverse, not the Memorial. It was produced exclusively for Uncirculated Mint Sets with a mintage of approximately 346,117 pieces. Do not confuse it with the Memorial variety – it is a separate key date in the Shield series.
4. Proof issues: Proof Memorial cents from 2019 are extremely rare and typically appear only in specially packaged sets. Deep cameo examples command significant premiums.

Error Coins and Varieties Worth Hunting

This is where the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent becomes genuinely exciting. Error coins from this issue can be worth far more than their face value – and some have sold for hundreds of dollars raw, thousands when graded.

PCGS & NGC Coin Verification – Accurate Precious Metals Refineries

• Doubled Die Obverse (DDO): Doubling visible in “LIBERTY,” “IN GOD WE TRUST,” or the date. Strong examples can fetch $200 to $1,000 depending on grade.
• Die Clash Errors: When obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them, ghost images transfer to subsequent strikes. Memorial clash errors on 2019 cents have sold for $50 to $500 raw, with graded examples reaching higher.
• Off-Center Strikes: The design is shifted from center due to a misaligned planchet. Values depend on how dramatic the shift is – 50% off-center with a visible date is the sweet spot for collectors.
• Wrong Planchet Errors: Extremely rare. A cent struck on a dime or foreign planchet is a major error coin worth investigating immediately.
• Weak Strike Varieties: Some 2019 Memorial cents show soft detail on the Memorial columns. These are not errors per se, but they illustrate die wear and can help date production runs.

Search coin roll hunting forums and auction archives for recent sales data. PCGS population reports show how many examples have been graded at each tier – a coin with only a handful of MS67 RD examples graded is far scarcer than its face value suggests.

Grading the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent

Condition is everything with modern cents. A 2019 Memorial cent in circulated condition might be worth a few cents above face. The same coin in MS67 RD can be worth $50 to $150. An MS68 RD example with a small population? Potentially much more.

The 1991 Lincoln Memorial Cent grading guide on our site covers the same grading principles in detail – the methodology transfers directly to 2019 issues since both are copper-plated zinc cents from the same Memorial reverse era.

Pricing Context: What Is the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent Worth?

Values depend almost entirely on grade, color designation, and whether the coin carries an error.

For perspective: a $300 error penny rivals the dollar value of about 3.5 ounces of silver at current spot prices near $82 per ounce. But unlike silver, that penny’s value comes from rarity and condition – not from commodity markets. It does not fluctuate with the metals market. That stability appeals to collectors who want appreciation potential without the volatility of spot-price-driven assets.

How the 2019 Memorial Cent Fits Into Modern Lincoln Cent Collecting

The Lincoln cent series from 2010 onward is dominated by the Union Shield design – a relatively short run that collectors are actively building complete sets of. The 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent sits outside that run as a one-year anomaly, making it a natural “bonus key date” for Shield series completists.

If you are building a date-and-mintmark set of modern cents, the 2019 Memorial variety from Philadelphia and Denver should be on your list. Pair it with the 2019-W Shield cent from Uncirculated Mint Sets and you have the two most collectible 2019 issues in a single year.

The copper penny value question 13 comes up often among new collectors. For post-1982 cents, the answer is no – the zinc composition makes melt-value strategies impractical and illegal. The value is entirely numismatic. That is actually a feature, not a limitation: it means condition and rarity drive prices, and patient collectors who find high-grade examples in circulation or rolls can profit without any commodity exposure.

For collectors newer to Lincoln cents, our overview of valuable Lincoln pennies and mint marks provides a broader framework for understanding which dates and mintmarks have historically commanded premiums across the entire series – useful context before narrowing focus to modern issues.

Practical Tips for Finding and Collecting 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cents

You do not need a large budget to start. Here is how to approach it systematically.

1. Search coin rolls: Buy $10 face value rolls ($0.50 each, 50 coins per roll) from banks or non-bullion sources. Focus on 2019-dated cents and flip each one to check the reverse.
2. Use a loupe: A 5x magnifier is enough to distinguish the Memorial reverse from the Shield at a glance. The Memorial shows the building’s columns clearly; the Shield shows a vertical torch.
3. Weigh suspect coins: A digital scale accurate to 0.01 grams costs under $15 and catches wrong-planchet errors immediately.
4. Preserve luster: Handle coins by the edge only. Fingerprints cause spots that lower the color designation from RD to RB permanently.
5. Store properly: PCGS-approved flips or hard plastic holders prevent contact marks. Avoid PVC-based flips – they cause green corrosion over time.
6. Submit selectively: Only submit coins you believe grade MS65 RD or higher, or confirmed errors. Grading fees run $20 to $50 per coin – the economics only work at higher grades.
7. Track population reports: PCGS and NGC publish how many examples they have graded at each level. Low-population coins at high grades are genuinely scarce.

Common Misconceptions About the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent

Why Accurate Precious Metals Is Your Partner in Numismatic Collecting

Accurate Precious Metals has spent over 12 years building a reputation as one of the most trusted precious metals and coin dealers in the Pacific Northwest – and that expertise extends well beyond gold bars and silver rounds. Based in Salem, Oregon, with more than 1,000 five-star reviews from customers across the country, Accurate Precious Metals handles everything from bullion to numismatic coins, including copper issues like the Lincoln cent series.

As an NGC Authorized Dealer, Accurate Precious Metals offers grading services that can help you determine whether your 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent is worth submitting for professional slabbing. That access matters – it means you are working with a team that understands the difference between a raw MS65 RD cent and one that deserves a full NGC submission.

If you have discovered what looks like a high-grade or error 2019 Memorial cent and want a professional opinion, visit the Salem location in person or call (503) 400-5608. Local customers get the advantage of hands-on evaluation. If you are anywhere else in the United States, the mail-in service 3 makes it easy – Accurate Precious Metals ships a free insured kit, evaluates your coins or metals, and pays quickly.

The inventory at AccuratePMR.com covers the full spectrum of collectible copper – from modern cents to historic issues. Browse the copper coin category for current offerings, or explore the 17 full copper inventory for bars, rounds, and specialty pieces.

Whether your interest in the 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent is a gateway into numismatics or part of a broader collecting strategy alongside gold and silver, Accurate Precious Metals is equipped to help at every step – evaluation, grading, buying, and selling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Rare American Coins – “Unbelievable Find! 2019 Penny Could Make You a Millionaire” (YouTube)
2. Lincoln Cents – 2019 Lincoln Memorial Cent Overview
3. YouTube – “2019 Lincoln Penny Value, Varieties, and Errors”
4. Wikipedia – Lincoln Cent History and Design Overview
5. PCGS CoinFacts – 2019-W Lincoln Cent Shield RD
6. Coin Identifier – 2019 Penny Value Guide