Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday and the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln penny both happen in 2009. To celebrate, the U.S. Mint is giving the one-cent coin its first makeover in 50 years. Here's how they will spiff up the cent.
The familiar portrait of the 16th President will still appear on the heads side of the coin. The tails side, however, will be redesigned. Each new penny will feature one of four different scenes from Lincoln's life.
The project was approved two years ago, before metal prices went up. Now, each penny costs 1.67 cents to make. Is this small change worth the cost?