A new penny is out as of May 14, 2009. This is the second time around for the popular Lincoln penny; the first was also released in 2009. The first was so successful that it sold out in about two weeks with a total of 96,000. This new set was released in Lincoln City, Indiana at the Lincoln State Park's Amphitheater to a very excited audience. The special coin was redesigned by Charles Vickers. This penny is also called the Lincoln Rail Splitter or the Formative Years cent. It was designed with Lincoln sitting on a log, educating himself by reading a book, probably during a break. He grew up working as a rail splitter. He had no formal schooling but his step mother taught him to read. These "formative years" was what gave him the qualities to become the special person he was.
At the releasing of the coin in May, each child received a free one. The rest of the audience could exchange currency for two to six rolls at the cost of two for $8.95. Twenty million of the pennies sold in four days making a total of 400,110 rolls. The Philadelphia mint was responsible for one in the set and the Denver mint responsible for the other roll. The total equaled $8.95 times 200,055.
Another group will be released on August 13th and the fourth one on November 12th. This is to celebrate Lincoln's 200th anniversary of his birthday.
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