Small cents were issued first in 1856. During this period, the large cents and the half cent which was used at that time started to be a burden to the US government. Not only were they too large but the cost of making them already exceeded the value. Also, the US government wanted the citizens to stop using the Spanish and English denominations and instead use the American coinage standard.

The first small cent was the Flying Eagle which was issued without approval from congress. It didn’t last long though, and its last year of circulation was 1858. The following year, the Indian Head cent was introduced and the design lasted until 1909. Its face showed Lady Liberty wearing an Indian headdress. If you have one in good condition and want to sell it today, it can fetch you a good amount.

In the middle of 1909, it was declared that in honor of Lincoln’s centenary birthday, his face would appear on the small cent. The coin that is being used today is fairly similar although in 1959, it was changed to the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate his 150th birth. It is still being used today and is proven to be a consistent design. The US government has no intention to change its design any time soon.