1988 Lincoln Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1988 Lincoln Cent is a United States cent from the Lincoln Memorial Cents 1959-2008 series — 30th of 50 years in the series. In 1988, coins were struck at the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints with a combined mintage of 3.3 million. This ranks 18th of 50 years by total mintage, below the series median of 3.7 million. The obverse features Abraham Lincoln facing right and the reverse displays the Lincoln Memorial building in Washington, D.C.. Both mints produced typical quantities for circulation. Struck in copper-plated zinc, weighing 2.5 grams, 19 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Collectors have cataloged 163 known die varieties for this date across 17 categories, including atypical die clash, bisecting rim to rim die crack, cud and 14 other types. Across its variants, estimated values range from $0 to $11 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $1.4K in PR70 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by Victor David Brenner/Frank Gasparro.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
