United States Mint, Philadelphia. Obverse: Young head of Liberty, facing right; date below.
United States Cent, 1974 (aluminum)
Grade Range: 5-12
Resource Type(s): Artifacts, Primary Sources
Date Posted:
6/10/2009
This one-cent piece from 1974 is perfectly normal-except for one thing. It was struck in aluminum rather than bronze. Lincoln's bust graces the obverse, just as it has done for over ninety-five years.
And the Lincoln Memorial appears on the reverse, just as it has since the closing years of the Eisenhower Administration. The choice of aluminum over bronze is what makes this coin legendary. How did it happen, and why?
