#128-CIVIL WAR SALE: MEDAL ISSUED IN 1909 CELEBRATING LINCOLN'S BIRTH

I do not know who produced this very nice high relief portrait of Lincoln on this medal celebrating the centennial of his birth in 1909. It has a loop as made rather than a drilled hole (thankfully!) and a deep orange-brown color. Of the many medals I have sold that were struck in 1909 for Lincoln's 100th birthday, this is one of the nicest and a quite unassuming one. I have learned a great deal about Lincoln medals without ever intending to do so; but as I have noted, spending 45 years working this way in writing and selling, one is introduced to many interesting topics; I think those not particularly looking for Lincoln material would probably be very surprised at how many organziations issued medals honoring Lincoln on his 100th birthday.

The centennial of Lincoln's birth was a much more major event in the country on several fronts--much more than I would have imagined when considering the world in 1909. Numerous well-known and other not-so-well-knowm organizations jumped on this bandwagon. This trend was followed (or led by) the U.S. Mint, that replaced the Indian head cent with the new Lincoln cent in 1909, which in 2025 completed its run of 116 years with only reverse changes; the cent was officially retired this month; it was the coin minted by the country the longest and it will be very interesting to see how the country reacts. There are literally billions of Lincoln cents officially still in circulation, although the majority are on dressers, in drawers and in jars full of small change in American homes.

The general consensus is that a huge volume of the pennies will be turned into local banks over time. There is no real need to collect all your pennies to turn in, as just because the U.S. will no longer strike pennies, the coins will remain legal tender for the foreseeable future; compare it to any U.S. coins discontinued years or decades ago. You can still spend them whenever you are so inclined. Those fearing this change will cause problems when, for example, a restaurant or drive-in bill comes to $20.51. Most of us now pay with plastic, so that penny on the bill won't pose a problem.

I seriously expect the use of the penny not to change for many years. No long minting them shouldn't change anything.