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1926 Lincoln Cent Date Guide

Sesquicentennial coins and cents

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1926 overview Mintage, history, and notes for this year's cents

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
157,088,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(51 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
28,020,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(103 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
4,550,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(131 of 140)

1926 in history

1926 in history
  • The Mint issued Sesquicentennial half dollars and quarter eagles for the 150th anniversary of American independence.
  • Lincoln cents continued as the workhorse of American small change during the mid-1920s boom.
  • Route 66 was established as a major highway linking Chicago to Los Angeles.
  • A. A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh in London.
  • The NBC radio network was formed, expanding national broadcasting.
  • Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel.
  • British miners' strike led to a General Strike that briefly paralyzed much of the nation.
  • The first SAT college admissions test was administered in the United States.

1926 Lincoln cent year notes

Collector notes for 1926 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Images/Mintage Mint issues and coin images for 1926

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
157,088,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(51 of 140)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
28,020,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(103 of 140)

San Francisco (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
4,550,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(131 of 140)
1926 in history What else was happening that year
1926 in history
  • The Mint issued Sesquicentennial half dollars and quarter eagles for the 150th anniversary of American independence.
  • Lincoln cents continued as the workhorse of American small change during the mid-1920s boom.
  • Route 66 was established as a major highway linking Chicago to Los Angeles.
  • A. A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh in London.
  • The NBC radio network was formed, expanding national broadcasting.
  • Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel.
  • British miners' strike led to a General Strike that briefly paralyzed much of the nation.
  • The first SAT college admissions test was administered in the United States.
1926 cent notes Collector notes for this year's Lincoln cents

Collector notes for 1926 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Key Dates & Errors Key dates, valuable errors, and genuine vs fake guidance for 1926

See the list of all key dates and errors in Lincoln cents

Design types Obverse and reverse engravings in use for 1926

Obverse design types (ODT)

  • Flat serif G obverse
    Flat serif G obverse — ODT09 · 1922–1929 · business · 1931–1933 · business · 1935–1955 · business · 1936–1942 · proof · 1950–1955 · proof

Reverse design types (RDT)

See the design types reference. Design types identify engraved designs; when differing designs create collectible alternatives within a year, see Lincoln cent design varieties.

Mint mark types Punch styles used on 1926 Lincoln cents
  • Early-D mint mark
    Early-D — 1911–1920 · business · 1922 · business · 1924–1933 · business
  • Small-S mint mark
    Small-S — 1917–1921 · business · 1923–1931 · business · 1935–1941 · business

See the mint mark types reference.

Typical values Series price guide for regular-issue 1926 cents

1926 Lincoln cents from the CopperCoins series price guide (August/September 2026 edition) — approximate values only, not offers to buy or sell. Business strikes show separate BN, RB, and RD lines where priced.

Business strike

Issue G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 EF45 AU50
1926-P BN 0.20 0.35 0.35 0.85 1.95 3.20 4.35
1926-P RB
1926-P RD
1926-D BN 1.20 1.60 3.35 9.20 20.25 21.50 30.75
1926-D RB
1926-D RD
1926-S BN 8.70 8.80 11.25 14.25 30.25 39.50 63
1926-S RB
1926-S RD
Issue G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 EF45 AU50
1926-P BN 0.20 0.35 0.35 0.85 1.95 3.20 4.35
1926-P RB
1926-P RD
1926-D BN 1.20 1.60 3.35 9.20 20.25 21.50 30.75
1926-D RB
1926-D RD
1926-S BN 8.70 8.80 11.25 14.25 30.25 39.50 63
1926-S RB
1926-S RD
Die varieties in the catalog Attributed 1926 dies by mint and variety type

Our attribution catalog for 1926—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.

Search all 1926 dies Variety value guide for 1926

Catalogued dies for 1926

Number of assigned dies in the CopperCoins catalog, by mint and variety type. Click a count to search that group.

Mint DO Doubled Die Obverse Total
Philadelphia (P) 3 3
All mints 3 3

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