1909 Proof Cent Pattern - J-1780

Coin Details

Description

Judd-1780 is a proof cent pattern struck in 1909, a watershed year for the denomination that saw Victor David Brenner's Lincoln cent replace the Indian Head design that had served since 1859. Brenner, a Lithuanian-born sculptor and medallist living in New York, was introduced to President Roosevelt through the intermediary of Doctor William Sturgis Bigelow. Roosevelt had been deeply moved by Brenner's bas-relief plaque of Abraham Lincoln and championed the sculptor's Lincoln portrait for the cent to commemorate the centennial of Lincoln's birth. J-1780 represents a design study from this transformative period, potentially featuring an alternative configuration or die combination from the adopted production version. The adoption of the Lincoln cent marked the first time a real historical person appeared on a regular-issue United States coin, breaking the longstanding tradition of allegorical figures. This departure was initially controversial — many Americans felt that depicting actual individuals on coinage was a monarchical practice — but Lincoln's universal admiration ultimately silenced most critics.

Rarity Notes

R-6 to R-7 (Very Rare to Extremely Rare). Cent patterns from the pivotal 1909 design transition survive in limited numbers, approximately 10-20 specimens.

Cross References

Judd J-1780, Pollock P-1970