2009 P Mint, Lincoln Cent Formative Years Pennies Box

Aspect 2: Formative Years in Indiana

Formative Years in Indiana Reverse

In the fall of 1816, Thomas and Nancy Lincoln left Kentucky for southern Indiana, settling in Spencer County. As he grew older, young Abraham became skilled at using a plow and, especially, an axe. Although the demands of frontier life left little time for formal schooling, his parents instilled in him a love for books and Abraham educated himself by reading such works as "Life of Washington," "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin," "Robinson Crusoe and The Arabian Nights" all by the age of 11. He could often be seen carrying a book along with his axe.

In October 1818, the family suffered a terrible tragedy when Nancy died from drinking contaminated cow's milk. For Abraham, whose mother had encouraged him to read and explore the world through books, it was a devastating blow. Thomas later married Sarah Bush Johnston, a kind stepmother who helped raise Abraham as her own.

The approved reverse design for aspect two depicts a young Lincoln reading while taking a break from working as a rail splitter in Indiana and includes the inscriptions "United States of America," "E Pluribus Unum" and "One Cent." It was designed and sculpted by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver Charles Vickers.