US Coins

Reverse Proof Lincoln cent makes early debut

By Paul Gilkes

Published: Apr 26, 2019, 4 AM

The Reverse Proof 2019-W Lincoln cents are intended to be sent as a premium to U.S. Mint customers purchasing the 2019-S Silver Proof set, not the standard clad Proof set.

Images courtesy of NGC.

Many 2019-W Reverse Proof Lincoln cents being graded and encapsulated by NGC are close to perfect, being certified Proof 70 red. Some, like this example, grade Proof 69 red because of abrasions on Lincoln's cheek and shoulder.

Images courtesy of NGC.

This early released Reverse Proof 2019-W Lincoln cent was graded and encapsulated by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. as Proof 69 red.

Images courtesy of NGC.

Numismatic Guaranty Corp. graded and encapsulated a Reverse Proof 2019-W Lincoln cent two weeks before the coin’s official release from the U.S. Mint as a premium with the 10-coin 2019-S Silver Proof set.

Max Spiegel, senior vice president of NGC’s parent Certified Collectibles Croup, said April 24 that the customer who received the Reverse Proof cent was sent the coin as a premium with the standard 2019-S Proof set.

Inside Coin World: Unusual origin for brockaged Lincoln cent: Columns in the May 20 issue serve up for reader enjoyment an unusual brockaged Lincoln cent, diagnostics of a fake 1897-S Morgan dollar and a review of the market for the 1922 Grant Memorial coins.

The U.S. Mint intends to be providing a Proof 2019-W Lincoln cent as the premium for customers purchasing that Proof set.

The 2019-S Proof set went on sale March 1, and the Silver Proof followed suit on April 17.

Spiegel said NGC graded its first Reverse Proof 2019-W Lincoln cent on April 3. The grading label indicates the coin was “Mistakenly included with clad Proof set.” The coin is graded Proof 69 red.

Spiegel said NGC has now begun to receive additional Reverse Proof cents for grading and encapsulation, with submissions grading either Proof 69 red or Proof 70 red.

“The coins that are grading 69 have abrasions on Lincoln’s cheek and shoulder,” Spiegel said.

Coin World sought input from Professional Coin Grading Service, ANACS and Independent Coin Graders about submissions of Reverse Proof cents, but received no responses by April 26.

Sales for the 2019-S Silver Proof set reached 191,670 as of April 21. Sales of the 2019-S Proof set totaled 285,283 as of the same date.

The Proof set continues to be offered at the Mint, at $27.95, as does the Silver Proof set, at $54.95.

The Mint is issuing three 2019-W Lincoln cent versions, all as premiums with the purchase of annual sets.

Customers ordering the 20-coin Uncirculated Mint set, beginning at noon Eastern Time May 14, can expect its delivery to include an Uncirculated 2019-W Lincoln cent.

The 2018 Uncirculated Mint set, still available from the U.S. Mint priced at $21.95, will go off sale when its inventory is gone, or when sales for the 2019 set begin, whichever happens first.

Connect with Coin World: