Obverse
Abraham Lincoln portrait by Victor D. Brenner.
WORLD COINS · UNITED STATES · 1972 PROOF SET
1972-S Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof
San Francisco (S) · Original 1972 Proof Design
1972-S1 CentCollector Proof
01 COIN IDENTITY
Coin Identity
IssuerUnited States
Year1972
Mint MarkS
MintSan Francisco
Denomination1 Cent
Issue1972-S Proof, regular five-coin set
Short QR Codeusps72c
Short URLhttps://metacoinart.com/q/usps72c
02 SPECIFICATIONS
Physical Profile
CompositionBronze: 95% copper and 5% zinc (not copper-plated zinc)
Weight3.11 g
Diameter19.05 mm
Thickness1.55 mm (nominal historic type)
EdgePlain
OrientationCoin alignment ↑↓
ShapeRound
03 DESIGN
Obverse & Reverse
Reverse
Lincoln Memorial by Frank Gasparro, used on U.S. cents from 1959 through 2008.
1972-S Proof cents are the original 3.11 g bronze type; copper-plated zinc 2.50 g cents did not appear until 1982. A doubled-die obverse variety exists, but the standard Proof set is not automatically that variety.
04 HISTORICAL CONTEXT
1972-S Proof Issue
Mint FacilitySan Francisco Mint
FinishProof
Original Standard Proof Set5 coins, total face value 91 cents
Reported 1972 Set Quantity3,260,996 (secondary catalogue/collector reference)
Original Set Sale Price$5.00 (secondary historical catalogue)
Individual Coin MintageDo not infer separately from sales figures for the proof set
The 1972 standard set includes no dollar coin. The U.S. Mint announced the Eisenhower dollar would join the annual regular set in 1973. The 3,260,996 number is a reported set total, not a U.S. Mint press-release figure supplied by this archive.
05 REFERENCES
References
OFFICIAL SOURCE — PRIMARY
United States Mint · Proof Sets
U.S. Mint explanation of the annual collector proof set and Proof striking process.
Open reference ↗OFFICIAL SOURCE — PRIMARY
United States Mint · Historical Design / Metal
Official history and design background for the Lincoln Memorial Cent; 1972-S characteristics noted separately.
Open reference ↗OFFICIAL SOURCE — PRIMARY
United States Mint · Coin Specifications
Official denomination specifications; the 1972 bronze cent is distinguished from modern zinc cents.
Open reference ↗INDEPENDENT CROSS-CHECK
PCGS CoinFacts · 1972-S Proof
Independent historical Proof identification and physical specifications, not an official U.S. Mint source.
Open reference ↗SECONDARY CATALOGUE — LAST
Numista · Lincoln Memorial Cent
Collector catalogue for the denomination and 1972-S Proof type; no Numista photos, value tables or catalogue prose reproduced.
Open reference ↗