# Why does Lincoln face the other way on a penny? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998 "2004-12-15T17:42:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/1 "2004-12-15T17:42:36Z")
One of my students just asked me that question, and I could have sworn Cecil or somebody answered it before. A search of the Archives has turned up nothing. Does anybody have the answer, or the link? **Samclem**? My thought was that it was just the way the engraver thought looked better. Everybody else faces left. The Sackie has a frontal view. Why is Lincoln the oddball? ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/2 "2004-12-15T17:47:14Z")
[http://www.usmint.gov/about\_the\_mint/fun\_facts/index.cfm?flash=no&action=fun\_facts4](http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/fun_facts/index.cfm?flash=no&action=fun_facts4) ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/3 "2004-12-15T17:53:54Z")
To supplement that link, we HAVE been over this before: > **[They turned their backs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=130251)** > > I’ve always wondered why on U.S coins, Lincoln faces right while on the quarter, nickel and dime the others face left. In a movie, the title escapes me, Danny Glover’s character claimed the reason was “they turned their backs on Lincoln cause he... Lincoln’s right side was his “better side”, apparently because of an old injury to left side of his face (he was kicked by a horse). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/4 "2004-12-15T17:59:47Z")
I **knew** I could count on you people! Less than 10 minutes for a complete reply, with cites! Thanks! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/5 "2004-12-15T19:30:18Z")
By the way, you can see Lincoln on both sides of the penny. You can see just a very small bit of the statue in between the pillars of the Lincoln Memorial. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/6 "2011-11-05T13:02:04Z")
or maybe this is [the reason.](http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2193228544937&set=a.1222347313513.2031528.1073861966&type=1&theater) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/7 "2011-11-05T15:18:10Z")
Because his mole has psychic abilities, and can read your thoughts when you look at it. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/8 "2011-11-05T15:32:29Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > By the way, you can see Lincoln on both sides of the penny. You can see just a very small bit of the statue in between the pillars of the Lincoln Memorial. > > –Cliffy [Not anymore](http://2010lincolncents.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/union-shield2.jpg)! (Although [two of the four](http://coins.coinupdate.com/2009-lincoln-cents/) commemorative issues did have larger images of him, this is the current and permanent version. And yes, I **do** realize the post I’m quoting is almost seven years old.) ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-lincoln-face-the-other-way-on-a-penny/279998/9 "2011-11-13T16:49:00Z")
I hesitate to contribute to a zombie thread, but the very day you quoted me from seven years back, I had a conversation with the bookstore clerk about how I hated the new penny in part because you can’t see Lincoln on the back anymore. (Also, it’s ugly.) –Cliffy