Fun
Penny Facts, History & More!
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The
average penny lasts 25 years. |
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There
have been 11 different designs featured on the penny. |
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The
U.S. Mint produces more than 13 billion pennies annually. |
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There
are more than 130 billion one-cent coins currently in
circulation. |
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Sometimes
a penny is worth more than a penny. If you think you're
seeing double, save that coin. A 1955 penny has a "double-die
date." In uncirculated condition -- not a blemish
on it -- it's worth about $27,000. Even in less than perfect
condition it'll fatten your bank account to the tune of
$570. |
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Since
its beginning, the U.S. Mint has produced more than 288.7
billion pennies. Lined up edge to edge, these pennies
would circle the earth 137 times. |
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The
Lincoln penny was the first U.S. coin to feature a historic
figure. President Abraham Lincoln has been on the penny
since 1909, the 100th anniversary of his birth. |
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More
than two-thirds of all coins produced by the U.S. Mint
are pennies. |
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The
Lincoln penny was the first cent on which appeared the
words, "In God We Trust." |
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The
Lincoln penny was the first U.S. coin to feature a historic
figure. President Abraham Lincoln has been on the penny
since 1909, the 100th anniversary of his birth. |
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An
average of 1,040 pennies are produced every second, adding
up to 30 million a day. |
Historical
Penny Highlights: |
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The
first one-cent coin was struck in 1787 by a private mint.
This coin, known as the Fugio cent, was 100% copper and
this composition would continue until the mid-1800's.
Paul Revere, a noted blacksmith, supplied some of the
copper for one-cent coins minted during the early 1790's. |
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No
one-cent coins were minted in 1815 due to a copper shortage
caused by the War of 1812 with Great Britain. |
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The
Flying Eagle cent was first produced in 1856. This coin
was notable for its change in composition -- 88% copper
and 12% nickel. |
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The
Indian cent was first introduced in 1859 and depicted
an Indian princess on the obverse. A popular story about
its design claims a visiting Indian chief lent the designer's
daughter his headdress so she could pose as the Indian
princess. Most Indian cents minted during the Civil War
went primarily to pay Union soldiers. After the Civil
War, in 1864, the composition of the one-cent coin was
changed to 95% copper and 5% zinc. |
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The
one-cent coin was made legal tender by the Coinage Act
of 1864. |
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In
1909, Abraham Lincoln was the first historical figure
to grace a U.S. coin when he was portrayed on the one-cent
coin to commemorate his 100th birthday. The Lincoln penny
was also the first U.S. cent to include the words "In
God We Trust." |
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During
part of World War II, zinc-coated steel cents were struck
due to a copper shortage. |
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The
Lincoln Memorial was added to the reverse of the one-cent
coin by Mint engraver Frank Gasparro in 1959 to mark Lincoln's
150th birthday, making it the first and only coin to have
the same person on both sides. If you inspect it carefully,
you will see the statue of Lincoln inside the Memorial. |
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