Happy Lucky Penny Day!
Today was the 2025 National Lucky Penny Day! This may be the last National Lucky Penny Day with a penny being produced, so the day is becoming not so lucky. The United States plans to discontinue production of the penny in 2026! It is costing the U.S. over 2¢ per piece to produce a penny.. . .
Happy National Lucky Penny Day
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A Brief History on Lucky Penny:
Lucky Penny History: It is stated that if there is a penny Lincoln-side up, that if you pick it up, you’re in luck! The penny was among the initial coins produced by the U.S. Mint following its establishment in 1792. The inaugural penny depicted a woman with flowing hair, representing liberty. It was larger and crafted from pure copper, whereas the modern version is smaller and composed of a copper-zinc alloy.
Photo by Alex-V courtesy of Pixabay
Design of the Penny: Here is a chart of the design specifications of the penny in the U.S.:
United States of America: Penny Design |
|
| Attribute | Value |
| Value | 0.01 U.S. Dollar |
| Mass | (1982–present) 2.5 g (0.08 troy oz) |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm (0.75 in) |
| Thickness | 1.52 mm (0.0598 in) |
| Edge | Plain: Shiny |
| Composition | (1982–present) copper-plated zinc: 97.5% Zn, 2.5% Cu |
| Years of minting | 1793–1814, 1816–present |
| Obverse | |
| Design | Abraham Lincoln |
| Designer | Victor D. Brenner |
| Design date | 1909 (modified since) |
| Reverse | |
| Design | Union Shield |
| Designer | Lyndall Bass |
| Design date | 2010–present |
| Information from various public sources | |
Photo by Sebastian Enrique on Unsplash
The Current Form of the Penny: Here is a chart of the currently circulating penny in the U.S.:
Circulating U.S. Penny |
|
| Issued | Description |
1909 – Present2009 |
The Lincoln Penny: The penny, or cent, is a U. S. coin worth one-hundredth of a dollar and has been the smallest unit of U. S. currency since the half-cent was removed in 1857. The first cent was made in 1787, primarily as a copper or copper-plated coin. Due to inflation, pennies have lost most of their value, causing issues for businesses and government mints. Known today as the Lincoln cent, the penny has featured Abraham Lincoln’s profile since 1909. Between 1959 and 2008, the reverse showed the Lincoln Memorial, and in 2009, special designs honored Lincoln’s 200th birthday. A new reverse design, the Union Shield, was introduced in 2010. The current copper-plated zinc penny weighs 2. 5 grams. Due to rising metal costs, producing pennies became expensive, leading to discussions about possibly eliminating them. On February 9, 2025, President Donald Trump instructed the Treasury to stop penny production. |
| Information from various public sources | |
lucky penny courtesy of Openverse
Retired Issues: Here is the pre-1909 issue history
Pre-1909 History: Penny |
|
| Year of Circulation | Name of Penny |
| 1787 | Fugio Coppers |
| 1793 | Flowing Hair |
| 1793 – 1796 | Liberty Cap |
| 1796 – 1807 | Draped Bust |
| 1808 – 1814 | Classic Head |
| 1816-1839 | Coronet Head |
| 1839-1857 | Braided Hair |
| 1856 – 1858 | Flying Eagle Cent |
| 1859 – 1909 | Indian Head Cent |
| Information from various public sources | |
Celebrated: National Lucky Penny Day is celebrated every May 23rd!
A Few Facts:
I am sharing a few facts, and more, some trivia, some not trivial. . .
More on U.S. Pennies:
The Wishing Well:
Pennies were appropriately the first coins that were thrown into the fountain. The Celts and the Germans were the pioneers of this belief system, which they explained in straightforward terms: they believed that the water in wells was a dwelling place for the gods, placed there by the deities as a gift. Consequently, tossing coins into the wells was seen as an expression of gratitude towards the gods.
https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-lucky-penny-day-may-23 courtesy of Pixabay
Nowadays:
Now: We wait and see if penny will prevail with this threat to taking it out of production! I believe it to be a factor to begin a different type of inflation than we are used to: the type that companies used when we were in conversion to metric.
Future: I am truly confident that in the U.S.will make the right decision, and that it will continue everywhere–on and on. . .
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Helping mom one penny at a time courtesy of Openverse
National Lucky Penny Day
