The US 2001 Cent coin, designed by Victor David Brenner, features the familiar portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Minted in copper-plated zinc, the 2001 Cent was produced during a time of economic uncertainty, as the U.S. was recovering from the dot-com bubble burst and preparing for the events of September 11.
Politically, the 2001 Cent was issued during President George W. Bush’s first year in office, amid challenges that would soon reshape the nation. The coins design, maintaining the iconic Lincoln portrait, symbolized national unity and continuity, while its copper-plated zinc composition marked ongoing cost-saving measures in U.S. coin production.