answersLogoWhite

0

The Lincoln cent was created to honor the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

The decision was quite controversial because up till that time no US coin ever carried a real person's portrait. Most had stylized images of Miss Liberty, although a few had abstract designs (an embellished "III" on some 3 cent pieces, a shield on the nickel, etc.) President Theodore Roosevelt was a strong proponent of modernizing coin design and lent his support to the use of Lincoln's image. It's now the longest-running portrait on any US coin so clearly the choice was a valid one.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?