The U.S. one cent coin i.commonly referred to as a "penny," however this is really a misnomer. "Penny" is the nickname of "pence," a coin denomination used in Great Britain and it.commonwealth. In 1783, when members of the first U.S. Congress began to determine the circulating
coinage needs of the new country, they specifically chose to include a one-cent coin instead of a penny, since they had recently fought for independence from Great Britain. The one-cent got its name because its value is 1/100th of a dollar.
Although it has been changed several times since its inception, the one-cent coin design in use today is known as the "Lincoln Type." The obverse design was created by Victor David Brenner and began circulating in 1909. The choice of Abraham Lincoln was specific and the year of releas.commemorated the 100th anniversary of the President's birth. The "Wheat Heads/Ears" reverse, also designed by Brenner, remained in use until 1959. That year, in honor of the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth, the reverse design was changed to the Lincoln Memorial as depicted by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro. Lincoln is the first person to have his image on both sides of the coin, since a statue of him is visible inside the Lincoln Memorial. Unlike the portraits on other denominations, Lincoln's portrait on the cent coin faces right. This is simply due to the portrait used to create the engraving.
Th.composition of the coin has also changed throughout the years, and reflects the needs of the century. From 1909 until 1942, th.composition was 95 percent copper and 5 percent tin. As part of the war effort in 1943, circulating one-cent coins were struck from steel and coated with zinc so that copper could be diverted to the manufacture of cartridge cases. The forme.composition was resumed from 1944 until 1959, when the tin portion was replaced by zinc. Since 1982, the coin has been struck in copper plated zinc, .combination of approximately 99.2 percent zinc, and .8 percent copper, with a plating of pure copper.
The new U.S. Dollar
The woman portrayed on the new U.S. dollar coin is Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. She carries her infant son, Jean Baptiste on her back, as she did on her trek across the west. Sacagawea died at the age of 25 and reportedly was buried in Lander, Wyoming.
Since no known portraits of Sacagawea exist, artist Glenna Goodacre asked young Shoshone Indian Randy'L He-Dow Teton to pose as her model. Goodacre is a graduate of Colorado College and an accomplished artist who specializes in American Indian sculpture.
montanicoins.com
