The New 2010 Shield Cent Design, Like/Dislike? Opinions

This is from Michael Z. at Mint News Blog on 12-7:

..."By backing the final mintages of the first three designs from the year to date production totals, possible mintages for the Presidency Cent come in at 198.00 million Denver Mint coins and 129.60 million Philadelphia Mint coins. These figures would be far enough below the existing low to cause some excitement."

If that's close to the amount of LP4's minted, they are really rare. I think I'm getting off topic here, but here goes:

LP1-P: 284,400,000
LP1-D: 350,400,000 .....total = 634,800,000

LP2-P : 376,000,000
LP2-D: 363,600,000 .... total = 739,600,000

LP3-P: 316,000,000
LP3-D: 336,000,000 ....total = 652,000,000

LP4-P: 129,600,000
LP4-D: 198,000,000 ....total = 327,000,000 (will be revised when the mint stops tomorrow)

total 2009 Lincoln cents minted = 2,353,400,000.

2.353 billion for the year 2009 from both mints. They're the rare considering the past three decades minted:

1979: 10.1 billion
1980: 12.1 billion
1981: 12.9 billion
1982: 16.7 billion
1983: 14.3 billion
1984: 13.8 billion
1985: 10.9 billion
1986: 8.9 billion
1987: 9.6 billion
1988: 11.4 billion
1989: 12.6 billion
1990: 11.8 billion
1991: 9.4 billion
1992: 9.0 billion
1993: 12.1 billion
1994: 13.6 billion
1995: 13.5 billion
1996: 13.1 billion
1997: 9.2 billion
1998: 10.2 billion
1999: 10.6 billion
2000: 14.3 billion
2001: 10.3 billion
2002: 7.3 billion
2003: 6.9 billion
2004: 7.6 billion
2005: 7.9 billion
2006: 7.6 billion
2007: 7.3 billion
2008: 5.3 billion
2009: 2.4 billion (and there are 4 different designs)

They're the rarest since 1959 with 1.8 billion and 1960 with 2.1 billion minted.

BACK ON TOPIC RE: 2010 COINS:

It's safe to say the new-design 2010 Lincoln cents will be more common than the 2009 cents.

For comparison, here are the 5 cent Euro coin reverses, which depend on the country:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_cent_euro_coins

I like Finland (reminds me of the reverses on British sovereigns), France (a modern version of Marianne), and Slovakia (a mountain), and maybe Italy (reminds me of Lincoln memorial).

Note that the obverse of our cent has a head of state on it, which makes us look like the coins from the states that have a king or queen. I think that's disgusting, and we would do better to put general female figures on our coins (as we did in the past) such as the French example, or other general images.

It turns out that the French have drifted away from using an anonymous woman for Marianne and now use stars and personalities, starting with Brigitte Bardot in 1969 (since fined several times for "inciting racial hatred"). Predictably, it then drifted to the point of being chosen by politicians:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne

I say it's only a matter of time before France begins putting the images of former leaders on their coins. Of course, being a physicist with a paper coming out this week on gravitation, I vote for Paul Painleve:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Painlev%C3%A9

This is the best they could come up with? I mean really after all the State Quarters, Jefferson nickels and Lincoln bicentennial this is the best we get. I hate it.

I would have liked to have seen some wheat. Maybe two on each side of the words "One Cent"

What will be rare, will be some in good condition ! ...... ....(speaking of the LP1, LP2, LP3, and the LP4 Cents)

They seem to get into REALLY bad shape REALLY quickly in the wild !


By the way........ I noticed that the LP4 Cent is still available for sale in two roll sets, on the U.S. Mint's website, for those interested.

Me... I find it more appealing than the Memorial design and slightly better than the Wheat design . The Memorial design never did that much for me .