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1981
| Weight | 3.11 g |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Mint | Philadelphia |
| Strike | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 7,491,750,000 |
| Edge | Plain |
| Alignment | ↑↓ Coin |
| Composition | 95% Copper, 5% Zinc |
| Melt value | — |
| Designer | Victor D. Brenner / Frank Gasparro |
| Collector's Key ID | CK-688 |
Collection
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No additional varieties recorded for this strike.
External references
The Philadelphia Mint produced nearly 7.5 billion cents in 1981. Ronald Reagan was inaugurated in January, and the Iranian hostages were released on the same day. In March, Reagan survived an assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton. The new president pushed through sweeping tax cuts and a military buildup that would define the decade.
The 1981 Philadelphia cent carries no mintmark. Its mintage ranked among the highest in the series, reflecting continued inflationary pressure even as the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate policy began to take hold. The coin is extremely common and widely available to collectors.
Reference data only — not an appraisal.
| Grade | Description | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| G-4 | Good (G) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| VG-8 | Very Good (VG) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| F-12 | Fine (F) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| VF-20 | Very Fine (VF) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| EF-40 | Extremely Fine (EF) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| AU-50 | About Uncirculated (AU) | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| MS-60 | Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
| MS-63 | Choice Uncirculated (MS) | — | — |
How much is a 1981 Lincoln Memorial Cent worth?
How many 1981 Lincoln Memorial Cents were minted?
What is a 1981 Lincoln Memorial Cent made of?
What is the melt value of a 1981 Lincoln Memorial Cent?
Is the 1981 Lincoln Memorial Cent a key date?
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