2009 Lincoln Professional Life Cents have jumped out of the gate with exceptional inaugural sales — higher than the first Log Cabin design, but lower than the second released Rail Splitter pennies.
The Mint launched the new pennies on Thursday, Aug. 13, to another excited, anticipating public crowd (see Illinois Lincoln Cent launch photos). On the same day, two-roll sets — one roll of 50 coins for the United States Mint at Philadelphia and one roll of 50 coins for the United States Mint at Denver — went on sale for $8.95.
As of Sunday, the Mint said 152,146 of the Professional Life two-roll sets have sold. With 50 pennies per roll, that’s more than 15.2 million pennies purchased by collectors.
While demand was considered enormous for the first Log cabin cent design, it took nearly two weeks for 96,000 of the two roll-sets to be sold. However, the newly released third designed penny ranks behind the steaming Lincoln Rail Splitter sales, with its 200,055 two-roll set, four day sales total.
It is way too early to say whether sales of Illinois Professional Life cent will remain behind the Rail Splitters, which ended up with a final total of 300,000. (See Formative Years Penny Rolls Sell Out.) It is telling and perhaps suggestive, however, that sales are initially lower. Especially considering that they have been available in a "pre-order" status through the Mint’s subscription program — unlike the first two penny designs.
This is not to take away from the new Lincoln cent’s popularity. The numbers are impressive. Even more so given that they are the third of four in release order.
To order the penny roll sets, visit the US Mint’s online store at:
2009 Lincoln Cent Two-Roll Set "Professional Life"
The sets are also available by calling the Mint’s toll-free number 1-800-USA-MINT (872-321-MINT (6468).
I live in Tucson, AZ, and I was able to get the first 2 2009 pennies from local banks, and now the banks say they are no longer going to have them. What is this all about. The mint touted these pennies for at least a year, and got the public all excited about them, and now the are yanking the rug out from under us. Doesn’t sound right.
Dick mayes
Tucson, AZ
Consider yourself lucky, here in Central New York State we starting getting the 2 new pennies in pocket change about a month ago. Not one of the banks in the area has or had any of the new pennies.