Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 2010
Number of Types: 1
Mints: Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco
Composition: 0.992 zinc, 0.008 copper plating
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: Type 1- 3.11 grams, Type 2- 2.5 grams
Total Mintage:ongoing
Edge: Smooth
Introduction
After a one year set of commemoratives the 100th anniversary of the Lincoln Cent the Mint redesigned the reverse yet again. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 109-145) required that the design be emblematic of Lincoln’s efforts to solidify the Union. The design of choice includes a "Union Shield".
The "Union Shield" is a historically important allegorical symbol dating back to the late 18th century. The allegorical reference of the design is described by the U.S. Mint's web site as follows:
“The 13 vertical stripes of the shield represent the states joined in one compact union to support the federal government, represented by the horizontal bar above. The horizontal bar features the inscription E PLURIBUS UNUM—"out of many, one"—while the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is depicted along the upper rim of the coin. The union shield, which dates back to the 1780s, was used widely during the Civil War. The shield is also featured on frescoes by Constantino Brumidi throughout the halls of the U.S. Capitol Building completed in the mid-19th century."
(http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/lincolnRedesign/?action=2010Penny)
We can expect this design to grace the reverse of the Lincoln Cent until 2035 unless congress steps in and makes some changes as coin designs can only be changed by the secretary of the Treasury if they have been actively used on the denomination in question for at least 25 years!