The Lincoln Penny Tin filled with Delicious Lincoln MonuMints (Sold in cases of 24)

The Lincoln Penny was first minted in 1909 to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s 100^th birthday. It was the first American coin to bear a president’s image on its face.

It was a controversial part of our history from the day it was issued.

Many people felt that a man of Lincoln’s importance deserved to be on a higher value currency than a penny. On the other hand, just as many Americans felt that since Lincoln was the common people’s president, the penny was the right choice.

Some Americans were upset because putting the image of a president on a coin reminded them of the European kings and monarchs, from whom our ancestors escaped. The royalty always put their images on the currency. They felt it didn’t “fit” with our idea of U.S. democracy.

The face side of the penny has an “S”, under Lincoln’s image, which signifies that it was struck at the San Francisco Mint. The man who designed the Lincoln Penny was Victor David Brenner, and his initials, “V.D.B.”, appeared on the back side of the original pennies. There was a major outcry over the placement of the initials on the penny, as many felt that he was not important enough to have his name placed on every Lincoln Penny. The protest was so loud that President William H. Taft halted the production of the original penny after only one week from issue. It was later produced without the same markings.