Ben Wright snuck in just before the break as Notts were caught napping, to hand Lincoln the lead.
A super strike from County's Gary Silk levelled things in the second half before star man Lee Freckligton hit a low drive beating Kevin Pilkington at his near post to wrap up the points for the hosts.
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Magpies boss Charlie McParland made a radical four changes to the dismal Notts outfit that went down 1-0 against Macclesfield at Meadow Lane last week.
Stephen Hunt came in to partner Adam Tann at centre-back as on loan Krystian Pearce was reduced to the bench.
Neil MacKenzie was welcomed back into the centre of the park alongside Gary Silk, with Matt Somner missing out.
On the wing Myles Weston took the left at the expense of Andy Parkinson, with Richard Bucther continuing his wide right role.
Up top, Hector Sam was handed an unlikely starting berth joing Lawrie Dudfield at the head of the County attack. Liverpool youngster Craig Lindfield had to watch from the sidelines after failign to impress since his debu performance at Accrington Stanley.
With Lincoln desperate to return to winning ways it was them the Imps who started the brighter of the two sides. Ben Wright's third minute header shaving the top of the Notts crossbar as the Imps serached for an early breakthrough.
Louis Dodds was next to try his luck for City fizzing in a shot from the right on six minutes only for Magpies keeper Pilkington to easily gather.
It was surprise inclusion Sam who forced County's first real threat of the match on 20 minutes through. He shrugged off the young City centre-back Danny Hone but from the egde of the area could only fire wide.
Three minutes later and Butcher produced a good low save from Imps stopper Ben Smith. A beautifully lofted cross field ball from Weston picked out the winger whose deflected effort brought a good save from the on loan Doncaster Rovers man.
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A sweeping move for the Imps nearly gave the game its opener on 35 minutes. Wright again on the end of a neat ball from Frecklington. The 27-year-old hit wide with a tame attempt.
The home side eventually took the lead a minute before the half-time whistle. Adie Moses landed a long free-kick into the Notts area that the defence simply failed to deal with. The again sharp Wright nipped in between Tann and Hunt to head home depsite the efforts of Pilkington in the net.
LINCOLN 1-0 NOTTS
A goal on the stroke to teh disgust of the Notts fans. A soft gaol to concede so near to the interval.
It was to be the last action of the first period as County trudged in a goal down.
HALF-TIME
Into the second half and the Imps could have doubled their lead just two minutes after the re-start. Pilkington produced his finest save of the game to deny Dodds once more on the right. His low drive from just inside the box bound for the bottom corner was well pushed away by the fingertips of Pilko.
Notts began to seize control of the game with some tidy midfield passing and it was from that, the Magpies drew level.
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Silk struck from all of 25 yards out to level for the visitors. He picked up the loose ball and guided into Smith's top corner with the inside of his boot on 50 minutes.
LINCOLN 1-1 NOTTS
Three minutes later and County would have felt aggrieved not to have nipped in front. MacKenzie's curling free-kick from the egde of the area drifted just over the top as County went in search of the lead.
Just shy of the hour the travelling fans saw the first glimpse of action from an unusually quiet Dudfield. The front man turned Hone as if he wasn't there before hitting his shot into the arms of the Imps keeper.
With the game wide open, Frecklington missed a golden chance to restore City's lead after 62 minutes. The middle man floodeed through the centre of the field before being one-on-one with Notts defender Lee Canoville. Frecklington shifted the ball onto his left but the full-back did well to block his fierce shot at goal.
The buzzing presence of Sam again caused the Imps porblems four minutes later. His snap shot from the right of the City box just crept wide as the Magpies continued to prowl for the winner.
With Lincoln boss Peter Jackson replacing Owain Warlow with Dany
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Notts again sloppy in possession gave the ball to Frecklington 30 yards from which Lincoln went onf ront. Danger man Frecklington surged into the County box before drilling a low shot in past Pilkington at his near post on 75 minutes.
LINCOLN 2-1 NOTTS
With ten minutes left to play, McParland in search of a second leveller threw Spencer Weir-Daley to replace Sam but it was too little too late to snatch a share of the spoils from a fighting City side.
The Imps cleverly killed time proving attack to be the best form of defence. the Magpies were sinking without a whimper and it summed up the whole afternoon.
The Imps' greater fight and battle had seen them come out winners in a game where there was little to choose between the sides quality.
Full-Time