Pennies: Coins That Make Cents!

The penny has undergone several design changes since it was first introduced.

Large cents:
(These coins were actually close to the size of the current-day half dollar.)
Flowing Hair Chain (1793)
Flowing Hair Wreath (1793)
Liberty Cap (1793-1796)
Draped Bust (1796-1807)
Classic Head (1808-1814)
Coronet (1816-1839)
Braided Hair (1839-1857)

Small cents:
Flying Eagle (1856-1858)
Indian Head (1859-1909)
Lincoln Wheat (1909-1958)
Lincoln Memorial (1959-)
The coin is due to be re-designed with the reverse of the coin changing February 12, 2009.

By 1793 the number of states in the Union had grown to 15. Liberty adorns the obverse of this coin, her hair symbolicall flowing free. On the reverse of the coin there is a chain with one link for each of the states. The chain symbolizes the linking of the states together and the strength of those links. Approximately 36,100 were minted.

The Mint attempted to put an end to the intense criticism regarding both the obverse's unattraciveness and the reference to slavery due to the chain later in 1793. David Rittenhouse (Mint Director) commissioned David Rittenhouse to revise both the obverse and reverse designs. Liberty's bust was redesigned with even longer, wilder hair. The chain on the coin's reverse was replaced with a wreath, although numismatists differ as to what plant is depicted. Approximately 63,000 coins were produced.

Lady Liberty graces the obverse of the coin, this time with a Phrygian Cap on a pole. The history of the cap goes back to Roman times when the cap was presented to freed slaves. The cap was a popular symbol in the late 1700's symbolizing freedom and liberty.

This may be my favorite coin of all time! Definitely Top 5!

On the obverse a youthful Liberty faces right, long hair cascading down the back of her neck, with a headband ribbon tied at the back. Shoulders and neckline are loosely draped with rippled cloth. The word "LIBERTY" is centered at the top inside the border dentils, the date centered at the bottom. The reverse displays "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" inside of, and separated from, a dentilled rim. Two laurel branches with berries form an interior circle with branch tips separate at the top, but tied by a ribbon at the bottom. Inside the wreath at the coin's center is "ONE CENT", the words on separate lines. The denomination is repeated at the bottom as the fraction 1/100 below the bow.

Designer: Robert Scot, with contributions by John Smith Gardner and Adam Eckfeldt
Circulation Mintage: high of 1,405,000 in 1837 to a low 70,000 the 1838-O

Although many people now consider this design one of the more beautiful cents, its nicknames at the time it was commonly circulating seem to indicate that it was not held in the highest regard by the people. It is variously called the "Silly Head" or the "Booby Head" Cent.

The very first of the Small Cents, this coin was minted for two years. The 1856 cent was produced and distributed to public officials to help convince them to authorize the coin and to perfect the hubs which would be used in the minting process. Once the vote to approve the coin was taken, the coins were to be returned to the Department of the Treasury. Some were not. Authentic specimens of the 1856 Flying Eagle are rare, and fakes do exist due to the coin's collectible value. Even poor specimens regularly sell at or around $4,000, with the highest grades selling for up to $150,000. 1857's and the two variety of 1858's (large letters and small letters) are readily available.

The coin was not popular among the public, and for that reason the coin was discontinued after only two years. There is some really good information about Flying Eagles at http://www.squidoo.com/flyingeaglecent.

Replacing the Flying Eagle Cent, the Indian Head Cent is actually not a depiction of an Indian, rather it is the goddess Liberty wearing a Native American headdress. Legend has it that the designer used his own daugher as the model. More information about Indian head cents at http://www.squidoo.com/indianheadcent.

The Lincoln Cent was the first U.S. coin to carry the image of a real person! Introduced to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, it also ushered in tremendous controversy over the use of the designer's initials on the coin--a practice which was, and is, very common. Due to a Copper shortage during World War II, the 1943 Penny was made of Zinc-Coated Steel.

During the Second World War, the need for copper for use in ammunition and other military equipment caused the US Mint to research various ways to conserve copper so that it could be diverted to war needs. After experimenting with several substitutes (ranging from other metals to plastics) the then-standard bronze alloy one cent coin was minted with zinc-coated steel. It was struck at all three mints; Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. They are very collectible, but are subject to rust.

Introduced in 1959 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introuduction of the Lincoln Cent, the re-design of the coin fostered one of the great trivia questions of all time for kids. Just how many pictures of Abraham Lincoln are on this cent? Do you see the second? Excellent information on the Lincoln Cent is available at http://www.squidoo.com/lincolnpenny.

With the year 2009 being the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth and the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Lincoln Cent, the United States Congress authorized the US Mint to issue 4 bicentennial coins celebrating Lincoln's life. The first of those coins will be released on Lincoln's Birthday, February 12, 2009.

The Penny is actually a coin produced in the British Commonwealth countries. The word penny is the singular. The plural is pence. The name was used by the colonists, and it stuck when the United States declared, and eventually won its independence. The United States has never produced a penny coin.