2010 Lincoln Cents
While collectors eagerly await the release of the next 2009 Lincoln Cent, design candidate images for the 2010 Lincoln Cent reverse were recently released.
The same legislation which authorized the four different reverse designs for the 2009 Lincoln Cent also provides for a new reverse design in 2010. This design will be "emblematic of of President Lincoln's preservation of the United States of America as a single and united country." The new design is expected to be be used as the permanent reverse design for the Lincoln Cent for the foreseeable future.
The slide show below displays the seventeen different designs which are currently being considered.
Find more photos like this on Coin Network - Coin Collecting Social Network
Eight of the design candidates feature different views of the US Capitol building, with one of them incorporating the United States flag (LP-01 to LP-08). Two other designs portray the flag on its own (LP-09 to LP-10). One design features the Statue of Freedom, which sits atop the Capitol Building (LP-11). Three designs feature shields (LP-12 to LP-14) and three designs feature eagles (LP-15 to LP-17).
There were initially 18 candidate designs candidates before one was removed from consideration. The design previously identified as "LP-18" contained an image of thirteen wheat stalks bound together with the inscription "One Nation." This was intended to represent the thirteen original colonies. The design also revisited the concept of a wheat themed reverse, which had been used on the Lincoln Cent from 1909 to 1958.
This wheat sheaf design was included in the candidates provided to the Committee of Fine Arts for their April 16 meeting. The members present had unanimously supported the wheat design. According to Coin World, the US Mint subsequently removed this design from consideration stating that it was "inappropriately similar to a 1920's era German pfennig." Several individuals in the coin collecting community had also noted this similarity, as well as a similarity to coins issued during communist eras of some countries. See this blog post from Coin Network.
Pictured above are the LP-18 design which was removed from consideration, a German 1-pfennig coin from 1936, and a 1948 coin from Czechoslovakia.The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee reviewed the shortened list of 17 candidate designs on April 28 and gave their support to the shield design identified as LP-13. During the meeting, CCAC members also reportedly spoke about changing the obverse design of the 2010 Lincoln Cent to a more modernized version. This issue will be discussed further in their next meeting. Ultimately the design choice for the 2010 Lincoln Cent will be made by the United States Secretary of the Treasury.
What are your thoughts on the 2010 Lincoln Cent design candidates? Join the discussion on Coin Network!
Labels: 2009 Lincoln Cents
posted by Mint News Blog @ 1:15 PM
23 Comments:
I think it was a good decision to drop the wheat back design. Boring. My favorites from the choices shown are #'s 12-17 which shows some new creativity.
I agree that #12-17 are the better designs, although #17 is extremely similar to a design used on the 1986 Statue of Liberty $5.
The Capitol Building motif has been overdone in the commemorative series, and wouldn't be symbolic of unification to most observers who see the piece. They'd assume that it relates to the Capitol building. Plus, the designs are too similar to the fourth 2009 design.
I think having the American flag would be quite unique for a circulating coin as well as being a perfect symbol of unity. I really hope they will go for any of the flag-based designs.
I'd like to add, that any design for a coin as small as the penny needs to be simple and direct. Therefore, some of the fancier shield images just seem to be too busy for such a small surface. Many of the four current designs for the 2009 reverses strike me the same way.
I love design #10 with the original 35-star flag. That was the whole point of Lincoln's approach - no State ever left the Union, and thus all 35 states were represented on our banner. I don't understand the 50-star flag designs; it's as if the submitters were totally clueless to the fact that we've ever had older flags or that we haven't always had 50 states. While the Capitol was built during Lincoln's terms, it is not as emblematic as the flag, and I really do not understand how the shields or eagles specifically refer to Lincoln any more than they do to any other patriotic President (or any patriotic person, for that matter). In my opinion, therefore, only image #10 deserves consideration; I would have said #11 too because of the meaning of completing the Capitol during a time when nobody knew who would control it, but the 50-star flag is just totally wrong and makes no sense.
correction, 34-star flag. Point is maintained.
It kind of sounded as if they had made up their mind on the shield design. Is there any one or any group that the public can contact to have their voices heard. Or is it too late?
I'm with Anon, the 34 state flag is the way to go. I understand why Anon doesn't think any of the other flag designs make sense. But I think the current 50-state flag works because it's a symbol of our current unity... a unity that would not have happened without Lincoln. In addition, you have 13 stripes representing the original colonies/states... thus representing a union between past and present.
Can we just start over again? Nothing really jumps out at me. We can definitely eliminate the Capitol ones, since the last few decades Congress has been more divisive than unifying (every time they pass a budget, it makes me want to secede). Perhaps they could use one of the memorials in D.C. I hear that they have a really nice one for Lincoln.... If I had to choose from these, I would have to agree with the 34 star flag.
I like the idea of the 34-star flag, but I think that they needed to do more with that design. It just looks too plain to me. I did like #s 5, 8, 12, 15, and 17. I have a feeling that they will go with the first design simply because a lot of coins recently have had that circular lettering approach.
I think it fitting that we have a design similar to coins issued by some countries during their communist eras since we are gravitating towards our own communist era.
The Mint is in severe trouble and dire straits IMO. In reading the various comments here in the last 10 blogs or so, the underlining universal feeling appears to be that they have lost credibility.
It doesn't matter whether a private, corporate, or governmental facility / business loses credibilty and trust, their customers will eventually walk away in frustration and disgust. The Mint is acting as though it just went over the line that marks failure. There are so many negative issues being identified recently, it is hard to understand why nothing is being done to correct the obvious mis-planing and failures. A lack of oversight?
I think your comments about the Mint are a little over the top. I'm not saying that they are any paragon of efficiency or virtue. But they aren't any worse than any other government agency.
The truth of the matter is this... there is only one U.S. Mint, and ALL past, present, and future U.S. coins eventually derives its pedigree from that government agency. No matter how bad you THINK they are, it doesn't matter. Its the only place U.S. coins come from, and I don't think the U.S coin collection market is going to go away anytime soon. As you can see, they are already successfully manipulating the market as certain coin products sell out within weeks making demand even greater. It looks to me that's being pretty successful.
To previous commenter. Why did you have to go and burst our bubble by telling us the gov't is manipulating their coin market or could it just be the result of massive incompetence? Look around, who woulda ever thunk it. What else don't we know? Duh.
Indeed Lasloo, you said:
"As you can see, they are already successfully manipulating the market as certain coin products sell out within weeks making demand even greater."
The operative word is quite correct - "manipulating". Isn't that sad to have to resort to that tactic in order to deflect ineptitude? I wish it were totally different but it doesn't appear so from my vantage point. But on to the blog at hand - the second Lincoln cent and the others yet to come seem to be welcome additions to everyones collection, hopefully distribution into the mainstream of commerce will be much improved over the first launch.
I LIKE LP17. Very Cool. This would be my choice!
I like either #9 or #14, with #14 being the top choice. They both are dramatic, yet simple. Although I feel that #14 looks the best and is more appropriate; it just has that classic look to it.
However, I really like #17 a lot too. But feel that it would be a great reverse change, if ever done, to the American Silver Eagle line.
There is something about #17 that is definitely very appealing. I dont think we have any coinage with an eagle from that perspective and wings high over their head like that... as if it was just landing. If they chose that one, I'd be fine with it... even though it doesn't really represent the concept of unity in any way.
love the L12 looks great, What ever the new design i think it will be rarer that the log cabin.
If the reverse design is going to be a shield, I think 14 is better than 13, which is a little too simple. If the mint changes the obverse design, I hope they avoid the mistake made with the 2006 redesign of the Jefferson nickel. The design of a coin should have a medallic, rather than a pictorial character.
While I haven't heard anything official, it does sound like the 39 stars flag will be the final design for the reverse of the 2010 penny. And that the obverse will remain the same. That VDB observe will be there FOREVER!! :-)
14 and 16 both look like ideas that Lincoln himself would approve of. Both hark back to that time in style and message. I would hope that the powers-that-be would honor Lincoln with a design that he would have appreciated.
I really hope that LP-10 is NOT chosen for the 2010 and beyond cents. The design is frankly boring and plain. More importantly, the whole point of the new cent is to represent the legacy of Lincoln and the preservation of the Union... so I don't really agree that a 34 star flag is really the most appropriate choice- it's not about what the Union was like under Lincoln, it's about his legacy and our future.
That being said, the LP-13 and LP-14 designs seem to have a nice balance of design interest, eye appeal and imagery appropriateness. Let's face it, all the Capitol Building submissions are a bit played out and the eagle submissions all have an eagle whose anatomic design is well... awkward, to be kind.
By the way, an easy and nice place to see all the submissions side by side is at:
http://2010lincolncents.com/2010-lincoln-cent-design-proposals/
Just my thoughts... anyone else?
I don't understand how LP-11 even got considered. The extraordinary unskilled rendition is on-par with US Mint's human portrayals but surely they must recognize this.
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