 Brenner 's initials , which he had placed at the base of the reverse , immediately became a source of controversy — on the afternoon of August 2 , The Washington Star queried the Treasury as to the initials . Quotes appeared in the papers from ( possibly invented ) unnamed Treasury officials , opining that the coins were illegal because of the initials , which were seen as advertising . On August 5 , Secretary MacVeagh ordered coinage of the cent suspended until the coins could be struck with an inconspicuous " B " for Brenner on the coin . However , removing the initials and striking new pieces with no initials would lead to a three @-@ day delay in coinage ; effacing the initials and inserting an initial " B " would cause a 14 @-@ day delay . Assistant Treasury Secretary Eliot Norton , after meeting with Barber , ordered that the coins be struck with no initial . Treasury Department Solicitor Maurice O 'Connell held that the exclusion of the initials did not constitute a design change which could only have been implemented by waiting 25 years or obtaining congressional approval . Barber also opposed retaining a single initial " B " , fearing that as he had used an identical initial on his Barber coinage , the new coin would be deemed to be his work , and , according to Norton , " He is not willing to be held personally responsible for the Lincoln penny which he has always opposed and does not regard as a successful coin . " 
