WASHINGTON – At noon Eastern Time (ET) on March 13, 2009, the United States Mint will offer rolls of one–cent coins bearing the first of four new reverse designs struck in honor of the bicentennial of President Abraham Lincoln’s birth. The historic Lincoln Cent Birthplace Two–Roll Set–available for a limited time only–is priced at $8.95.
The two–roll set contains one roll each of 50 coins, one produced at the United States Mint at Philadelphia and one produced at the United States Mint at Denver. Each roll of coins in the two–roll set is packaged in specially designed paper coin wrap that displays the mint of origin, the year and the face value of the contents.
The reverse design (tails side) of the new one–cent coin features a log cabin representing Lincoln’s humble beginnings in Kentucky. Inscriptions on the reverse are UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, ONE CENT and 1809. The reverse was designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Master Designer Richard Masters and executed by United States Mint Sculptor–Engraver Jim Licaretz.
The obverse (heads side) will continue to bear renowned sculptor Victor David Brenner’s familiar likeness of President Abraham Lincoln currently on the one–cent coin.
Customers can purchase the Lincoln Cent Birthplace Two–Roll Set at the United States Mint’s secure Web site, www.usmint.gov/. Telephone orders will be accepted at the toll–free number, 1–800–USA–MINT (872–321–MINT (6468). Hearing and speech–impaired customers with TTY equipment can place their orders at 1–888–321–MINT (6468). A shipping and handling fee of $4.95 per order will be added to all domestic orders.
One–cent coins bearing designs representing Lincoln’s formative years in Indiana, his professional life in Illinois and his presidency in Washington D.C. will be released later this year.