Breaking News: 2010 Cent Design Unveiling In DC 11-12-09

Maybe it will look a little better on the coin in hand.
Since I collect only a few type coins and have few Lincoln and small cents, I am glad that this will not be something like the State Quarters and I bet this will be the last circulating US cent we shall see in use.

Maybe I am the only one who feels this way but I think its a cryin' shame that the best designs are reserved for bullion. I think the bullion designs would be more revered from the masses if these designs were in circulation and not in a lock box.

Depends on when you are looking for your "historical". There were eagles on the dimes and Half Dimes from 1794 to 1837 and that includes about half of Lincolns lifetime. Plus there was also an eagle on the cent shortly before he was elected President and I bet those Flying Eagle cents circulated during at least the first part of the war, and probably for awhile afterwards. Probably one reason they haven't been on the dimes since 1837 is because the Mint and the Sec of the Treasury misinterpreted the law back around the late 19th century. When discussions came up about changing the designs on the dime, quarter, and half, they informed the artist submitting designs that the law forbade the use of an eagle on the dime. Actually the law made it's use optional on coins of less than a quarter dollar. (Current law specifies the eagle for the quarter half and dollar and make no mention either way about its use on the dime or cent. The law does require Monticello in the five cent.)