The US Mint officially launched the third design in its 2009 Lincoln Cents Program, the Professional Life in Illinois Cent. (See Lincoln launch event photos.)
Abraham Lincoln spent most of his adult life in the Springfield area. It was here where he became a self-trained lawyer and where he first went into politics, which led to his Presidency. It was also here where he met his wife, Mary Todd, and where they raised their family. At the request of his wife, it was in Springfield that Lincoln was buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery following his assassination.
The ceremony took place on the grounds of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois with a stage set at the southeastern corner of the building. A few hundred chairs were available in front of the stage, but most attendees remained in a winding line awaiting the penny exchange. [click to continue…]
With the Illinois release ceremony for the third Lincoln design of the 2009 Lincoln Cents only a day away, many were caught by surprise to find that the US Mint had stopped sales of the second Lincoln design, the Formative Years or Rail Splitter Cent, on Wednesday August 12th.
Since May 14th, the Mint had been offering the second design in two-roll sets for $8.95. These sets consisted of one roll of 50 coins from the Mint in Philadelphia and one roll of 50 coins from the Mint in Denver.
As of August 9th, the Mint had recorded that 300,246* of the second design two-roll sets were purchased. In comparison, [click to continue…]
The 2009 Lincoln Professional Life Cent launches in Illinois on Thursday, August 13. Those who are at the official ceremony can exchange money for up to six 50-cent rolls.
But that raises an obvious question for anyone who can not attend -- Where are exchange or purchase locations for circulating Lincoln Professional Life Pennies? There are several locations and options. [click to continue…]
Coinciding with the next penny launch in Springfield, Illinois on August 13th, 2009, penny rolls of the third Lincoln coin in the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial One Cent Program will be available for purchase directly from the US Mint.
This design features an image of Abraham Lincoln standing in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, and is known as the Lincoln "Professional Life in Illinois" cent.
This design follows the 'Birthplace' and 'Formative Years' coins, which were both issued earlier in 2009 to high demand. The 'Presidency' cent will close out the series later on this year. [click to continue…]
The United States Mint will ceremoniously unveil the third redesigned 2009 Lincoln penny on August 13 in front of an enthusiastic crowd that could be bigger than the prior two Lincoln penny launches combined.
Considering the coin theme, a more appropriate ceremonial location could not have been chosen -- the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Why? The same building is depicted on the background of the new pennies' reverse. The foreground incorporates a formal portrait of a young Abraham Lincoln standing with hand raised in a professional pose. [click to continue…]
2009 Lincoln Rail Splitter pennies, formally known as the "Formative Years" cents, are exceedingly popular with the American public.
Released US Mint sales figures continue to show exceptional demand for the second of four redesigned 2009 pennies that commemorate the birth of President Abraham Lincoln. [click to continue…]
Announced and implemented on Wednesday, June 24, the US Mint is offering the remaining two designs of the 2009 Lincoln Cents as part of its' Online Subscription Program. This change in policy will allow collectors to pre-order the remaining designs before their initial launch date.
The third design, Professional Life Cent , is slated to be released on August 13th while the fourth, Presidency in DC Cent is due out in November. Taking a subscription will guarantee that the purchaser receives the final two versions of the 2009 Lincoln cents, up to the maximum limit of 5 sets per design. [click to continue…]
In just over two week's time, Lincoln Rail Splitter Cents have made a massive impact on the collecting community, based on US Mint sales figures and collector chatter.
A whopping 237,365 of the two-roll sets were purchased as of Sunday, May 31. With 100 coins per set, that is a total of 23,736,500 Lincoln pennies sold in May.
Sales of the Lincoln Rail Splitter Cent have slowed down significantly since they were released on May 14th. Initial demand was extremely high for the second in the series of four newly designed pennies available this year. The newest figures from the Mint show 14,539 sets were sold last week. The week before 22,771 were purchased. [click to continue…]
Released Thursday, May 14, sales of the 2009 Lincoln Rail Splitter cent (formerly known as the Formative Years cent) are surpassing all expectations. Demand at the official release ceremony in Indiana was exceptionally high, kicking the coin's popularity into an even higher gear.
The ceremony took place at Lincoln Amphitheatre in Lincoln State Park, Lincoln City, Indiana. An estimated 3000 people attended the event which is double the turn-out for the ceremony in Kentucky that marked the first Log Cabin cent release.
United States Mint Director Edmund Moy presided over the celebration and said:
"The 14 years Lincoln spent here in Indiana gave him the skills and character, compassion and fortitude, to lead the nation through one of the darkest periods in our history."
Over 200 elementary school students took part in the ceremony as well as the actor who will play Lincoln in the the amphitheatre's upcoming production of 'Lincoln - Forging Greatness'. [click to continue…]
The second 2009 Lincoln Cent with the formative years, rail splitter design will launch in Indiana on May 14 at 11 a.m. EDT, the US mint announced in a media advisory on Tuesday.
The official release ceremony will take place in the Lincoln State Park at the Lincoln Amphitheatre in Lincoln City, and is is sure to be one of the busiest events the Mint has ever hosted.
The inability to find 2009 circulating coins -- the first redesigned Lincoln penny in particular -- has created an extra level of excitement for an already attention-setting series. Additionally, up to six rolls of the new pennies may be purchased following the ceremony. Cents from the first launch sold in the secondary market for substantial premiums. That is likely to be repeated in round two, and adds to the reasoning for many who plan to attend. [click to continue…]
