The reverse featured the American coat of arms with the inscription 'United States of America' on the top and the date on the bottom.

Its obverse featured Lapu-Lapu, a native chief of Mactan (near Cebu) who fought against Spanish colonization, in profile to the left.

[7] From 1983 to 1993 the coin was round, Lapu-Lapu again faced the left in profile, and the denomination was moved to the reverse with the date on the front.

From its introduction in 1995, the one centavo coin was minted in copper-plated steel, and featured no subject presented.

The reverse side depicts the Magkono (Xanthostemon verdugonianus) and the current logo of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.