1997 Lincoln Cent
Base
About This Coin
The 1997 Lincoln Cent is a United States cent from the Lincoln Memorial Cents 1959-2008 series — 39th of 50 years in the series. In 1997, coins were struck at the San Francisco, Denver, and Philadelphia Mints with a combined mintage of 2.8 million. This ranks 7th 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 active with typical production levels. Struck in copper-plated zinc, weighing 2.5 grams, 19 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Collectors have cataloged 190 known die varieties for this date across 11 categories, including atypical die clash, cud, die chip and 8 other types. Across its variants, estimated values range from $0 to $12 depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $1.9K 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.
