1936 1C Satin, BN PR66BN Certification #33088496, PCGS #3330

Jaime Hernandez

The last time the Mint had produced any proof cents was in 1916 when it struck the 1916 Matte Proof Lincoln cents. In 1936, the Mint struck Proof Coins and Sets for that year and produced the Lincoln Cent in two different finishes. The first Proof cents were struck in a Satin Finish, while the second finish was struck in a Brilliant format.

The coins could have been purchased individually or as a set directly from the U.S. Mint. The 1936 Proof Cent by itself had an issue price of 16 cents, the Proof Set had an issue price of $1.89. Collectors didn't like the Satin Coins, as they looked similar to circulation strike coins, so the Mint changed the finish from Satin to a new Brilliant finish. 

The 1936 Proof Cent with a Satin Finish tends to lack strong Brilliant surfaces compared to the Brilliant Finish which has mirror like surfaces. The 1936 Satin Finish Proof cent is the scarcer of the two coins and there are probably no more than 600 coins that survive with the Satin Finish.