1976-S 1C, DCAM PR69DCAM Certification #47417413, PCGS #93449

Charles Morgan

The 1976-S Lincoln Cent

The 1976-S Lincoln Cent (#93449) is the Proof version of the 1976 cent struck at the San Francisco Mint. The coin was included in the 1976 United States Proof Set, which is famous for its inclusion of the clad versions of the Bicentennial Quarter (#6007), half dollar (#96811), and dollar (Type 2, #7435). These coins feature a dual date and distinctive reverses. The other circulating denominations, the cent, nickel (#94209), and dime (#95255), retained their regular designs. 

Recommendations to Discontinue the Cent Go Unheeded

In 1975, the Treasury commissioned the North Carolina-based Research Triangle Institute to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the efficiency, production costs, and future needs of America’s circulating coinage. Three of its key findings, that the cent had become obsolete, that the half dollar was no longer necessary, and that the dollar coin needed to be resized, given a distinct color and edge, and backed by a massive marketing campaign to replace the $1 bill, would have been obvious to numismatists at the time. Congress, however, was not keen to end circulation of the cent or replace the dollar bill with a dollar coin.

They did, however, authorize the production of a smaller dollar coin. In 1978, lawmakers approved the Susan B. Anthony Dollar to replace the bulky and rarely used Eisenhower Dollar. Unfortunately, the Treasury completely ignored the explicit warning from RTI to give the new coin a distinct color and smooth edge. Because it was minted with the exact same copper-nickel composition and reeded edge as the Washington quarter, it was immediately rejected by a public frustrated by constantly confusing the two.

Meanwhile, rather than eliminating the cent to save money, lawmakers eventually opted in 1982 to strike it on a cheaper copper-plated zinc planchet. The half dollar was also spared despite its severe decline in everyday commerce, with the Mint continuing to pump it into general circulation for another two decades. Ultimately, the government managed to implement the RTI report in a way that preserved the obsolete coins and doomed the one they actually tried to fix.

Collecting the 1976-S Lincoln Cent

In its original government packaging, a 1976 United States Proof Set retails for about $25. Given this set’s age and the fact that it was packaged in non-airtight plastic, the 1976-S Lincoln Cent is highly susceptible to environmental damage. Beyond developing a thin layer of haze on the coin’s surfaces, the presence of carbon spots is not unusual. For these reasons, it is quite difficult to find an example in "perfect" PCGS PR70DCAM condition. Even the presence of frost thick and consistent enough to earn a Deep Cameo designation is not uniform for this issue, although most will exhibit some frost.

The Lincoln Cent is one of the most popularly collected coins in all of American numismatics. Following the 2025 discontinuation of the cent as a circulating denomination, the spotlight on the series is shining brighter than ever. The late 20th-century Memorial design, which itself was discontinued after 2008, is proving to have a personality all its own that serious collectors will have to understand and accommodate to build competitive PCGS Set Registry sets.

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