2009-S Formative Years Proof

The 2009-S Formative Years Proof cent from the San Francisco Mint depicts a young Abraham Lincoln reading on a log, the Charles Vickers design sculpted by Jim Licaretz. In the proof finish, the figure of young Lincoln stands out with particular clarity against the mirror-bright background. The frosted texture on Lincoln's figure and the log contrasts sharply with the reflective field, creating the deep cameo effect that proof collectors prize.

The San Francisco Mint facility at 155 Hermann Street has specialized in proof coinage since 1968, after proof production moved from Philadelphia. The skilled technicians at San Francisco inspect each proof coin individually before packaging. The Formative Years design is one of the most evocative in the bicentennial series, capturing the self-made quality that defined Lincoln's character. His years reading by firelight and walking miles to borrow books became central to his personal mythology, a story of determination overcoming poverty. Approximately 2.99 million of these proof cents were produced as part of complete proof sets sold directly to collectors by the United States Mint.