Skip to main content

1988 Lincoln Cent Date Guide

Bush election year cents

(sponsored)

1988 overview Mintage, history, and notes for this year's cents

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
6,092,810,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(21 of 126)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
5,253,740,443
Mintage Ranking for Type
(33 of 126)

San Francisco (PR)

Mintage
3,262,948
Mintage Ranking for Type
(20 of 54)

1988 in history

1988 in history
  • Zinc Lincoln cents circulated as George H. W. Bush defeated Michael Dukakis for the presidency.
  • The Canadian one-dollar coin called the loonie entered circulation, later inspiring U.S. dollar coin debates.
  • The Iran-Iraq War ended after eight years of conflict and enormous casualties.
  • Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people.
  • The Winter Olympics were held in Calgary, Alberta.
  • NASA resumed shuttle flights after the Challenger disaster with redesigned solid rocket boosters.
  • The first major Internet worm by Robert Morris slowed thousands of connected computers.
  • Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of Pakistan, the first woman to lead a Muslim-majority nation.

1988 Lincoln cent year notes

Collector notes for 1988 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Images/Mintage Mint issues and coin images for 1988

Philadelphia (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
6,092,810,000
Mintage Ranking for Type
(21 of 126)

Denver (MS)

Photo Credit: Cotgreave Collection

(click images above to see larger view)

Mintage
5,253,740,443
Mintage Ranking for Type
(33 of 126)

San Francisco (PR)

Mintage
3,262,948
Mintage Ranking for Type
(20 of 54)
1988 in history What else was happening that year
1988 in history
  • Zinc Lincoln cents circulated as George H. W. Bush defeated Michael Dukakis for the presidency.
  • The Canadian one-dollar coin called the loonie entered circulation, later inspiring U.S. dollar coin debates.
  • The Iran-Iraq War ended after eight years of conflict and enormous casualties.
  • Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people.
  • The Winter Olympics were held in Calgary, Alberta.
  • NASA resumed shuttle flights after the Challenger disaster with redesigned solid rocket boosters.
  • The first major Internet worm by Robert Morris slowed thousands of connected computers.
  • Benazir Bhutto became prime minister of Pakistan, the first woman to lead a Muslim-majority nation.
1988 cent notes Collector notes for this year's Lincoln cents

Collector notes for 1988 Lincoln cents are being prepared.

Design types Obverse and reverse engravings in use for 1988

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.

Design Varieties for 1988 Within-year design differences for 1988

Collectible within-year design differences for 1988 — for example large and small dates, Wide AM or Close AM spacing, transitional designs, or alternate obverse and reverse designs. These are design varieties, not die varieties (doubled dies, RPMs).

See all Lincoln cent design varieties · Die Search for 1988 · Design types (ODT / RDT)

Mint mark types Punch styles used on 1988 Lincoln cents

See the mint mark types reference.

Typical values Series price guide for regular-issue 1988 cents

1988 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
1988-P BN 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0
1988-P RB
1988-P RD
1988-D BN 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0
1988-D RB
1988-D RD
Issue G4 VG8 F12 VF20 EF40 AU50
1988-P BN 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0
1988-P RB
1988-P RD
1988-D BN 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 0
1988-D RB
1988-D RD

Proof

Issue PR60 PR61 PR62 PR63
1988-S DCAM 2.90 2.95 3.15 3.90
Issue PR60 PR61 PR62 PR63
1988-S DCAM 2.90 2.95 3.15 3.90
Articles and videos Related reading and watching for 1988

Articles related to 1988 Lincoln cents

Videos related to 1988 Lincoln cents

The Ears Have It!
Die varieties in the catalog Attributed 1988 dies by mint and variety type

Our attribution catalog for 1988—doubled dies, repunched mint marks, and related varieties documented by die number. This is specialist research beyond regular issue Lincoln cents.

Search all 1988 dies Variety value guide for 1988

Catalogued dies for 1988

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 DR Doubled Die Reverse MM Repunched Mint Mark Total
Philadelphia (P) 15 1 N/A 16
Denver (D) 6 0 38 44
All mints 21 1 38 60
Variety plate coin videos Roll-reveal videos that sourced plate coins for 1988 dies

Videos on our YouTube channel that show when the plate coins for these dies were found in CopperCoins roll reveal videos.

(sponsored)