1981 Lincoln Cent Date Guide
Reagan era Lincoln cents
1981 overview
Philadelphia (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 7,491,750,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (8 of 126)
Denver (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 5,373,235,677
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (30 of 126)
West Point (MS)
- Mintage
- 7,491,750,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (8 of 126)
San Francisco (PR)
- Mintage
- 4,063,083
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (4 of 54)
San Francisco (PR)
- Mintage
- 4,063,083
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (4 of 54)
1981 in history
- Lincoln Memorial cents cost more to make as copper prices rose, foreshadowing compositional change.
- President Reagan was wounded in an assassination attempt in Washington on March 30.
- The first space shuttle, Columbia, launched on April 12, beginning reusable orbital flight.
- Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
- IBM introduced the Personal Computer, legitimizing PCs in offices and homes.
- MTV began broadcasting music videos on cable television.
- Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was assassinated in Cairo in October.
- The Centers for Disease Control first reported cases later recognized as AIDS.
1981 Lincoln cent year notes
Collector notes for 1981 Lincoln cents are being prepared.
Images/Mintage
Philadelphia (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 7,491,750,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (8 of 126)
Denver (MS)
Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection
(click images above to see larger view)
- Mintage
- 5,373,235,677
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (30 of 126)
West Point (MS)
- Mintage
- 7,491,750,000
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (8 of 126)
San Francisco (PR)
- Mintage
- 4,063,083
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (4 of 54)
San Francisco (PR)
- Mintage
- 4,063,083
- Mintage Ranking for Type
- (4 of 54)
1981 in history
- Lincoln Memorial cents cost more to make as copper prices rose, foreshadowing compositional change.
- President Reagan was wounded in an assassination attempt in Washington on March 30.
- The first space shuttle, Columbia, launched on April 12, beginning reusable orbital flight.
- Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
- IBM introduced the Personal Computer, legitimizing PCs in offices and homes.
- MTV began broadcasting music videos on cable television.
- Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was assassinated in Cairo in October.
- The Centers for Disease Control first reported cases later recognized as AIDS.
1981 cent notes
Collector notes for 1981 Lincoln cents are being prepared.
Design types
Obverse design types (ODT)
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
-
High Mintage-D — 1980–1982 · business -
Clear-S — 1979–1981 · proof -
The Type 2 — 1981 · proof
See the mint mark types reference.
Typical values
1981 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 | AU50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-P BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0 |
| 1981-P RB | ||||||
| 1981-P RD | ||||||
| 1981-D BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0 |
| 1981-D RB | ||||||
| 1981-D RD |
| Issue | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 | MS61 | MS62 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-P BN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 1981-P RB | ||||||
| 1981-P RD | ||||||
| 1981-D BN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 1981-D RB | ||||||
| 1981-D RD |
| Issue | MS63 | MS64 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 | MS68 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-P BN | 0.10 | 0.60 | 5.40 | 10 | ||
| 1981-P RB | 0.45 | 2.90 | 7.20 | 18.75 | ||
| 1981-P RD | 4 | 6.75 | 11.75 | 33.75 | 146 | 5,000 |
| 1981-D BN | 0.10 | 0.60 | 3.60 | 8.75 | ||
| 1981-D RB | 0.45 | 2.90 | 7.20 | 16.25 | ||
| 1981-D RD | 6 | 5.95 | 14.50 | 34.50 | 158 |
| Issue | G4 | VG8 | F12 | VF20 | EF40 | AU50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-P BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0 |
| 1981-P RB | ||||||
| 1981-P RD | ||||||
| 1981-D BN | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0 |
| 1981-D RB | ||||||
| 1981-D RD |
| Issue | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 | MS61 | MS62 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-P BN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 1981-P RB | ||||||
| 1981-P RD | ||||||
| 1981-D BN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 1981-D RB | ||||||
| 1981-D RD |
| Issue | MS63 | MS64 | MS65 | MS66 | MS67 | MS68 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-P BN | 0.10 | 0.60 | 5.40 | 10 | ||
| 1981-P RB | 0.45 | 2.90 | 7.20 | 18.75 | ||
| 1981-P RD | 4 | 6.75 | 11.75 | 33.75 | 146 | 5,000 |
| 1981-D BN | 0.10 | 0.60 | 3.60 | 8.75 | ||
| 1981-D RB | 0.45 | 2.90 | 7.20 | 16.25 | ||
| 1981-D RD | 6 | 5.95 | 14.50 | 34.50 | 158 |
Die varieties in the catalog
Our attribution catalog for 1981—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.
Catalogued dies for 1981
Number of assigned dies in the CopperCoins catalog, by mint and variety type. Click a count to search that group.
