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US Mint unveiled new penny... |
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Written by Administrator
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Tuesday, 23 September 2008 |
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 On September 22nd the US Mint unveiled it's new penny designs. It's a fun idea, and it will be a welcome change from the same old boring penny. Oh wait, it's still the same old boring penny. I like the idea of changing designs, and sparking more interest in coin collecting, but the penny? The quarter program is great, the nickel redesign is very cool, the sacagewea dollars never took off, nor did the presidential dollars. My question is, why redesign the penny?
So here are the details. The obverse (heads) of the penny will stay the same, with the image of Lincoln. The reverse side will be released in 4 different styles, each representing a major piece of Lincoln's life.
I appreciate and like the idea of honoring Lincoln as a great president, but with all the talk about getting rid of the penny, and with rising inflation making the penny even more obsolete, why update the penny? Why not update the half dollar, and revive that?
Why not the dime? The dime hasn't been updated since 1946, other than taking away the silver content. The dime is a much more usable coin than the penny.
Or let's try something completely new and put out a two or five dollar coin. Releasing a new two or five dollar coin program, and then working with vendors to update vending machines actually has a practical purpose. I hate trying to straighten out the dollar bill for 10 minutes trying to get the dollar feed to take it without spitting it back out.
Anyway, back to the penny. Regardless of how I think, the US Mint is releasing the penny, and it's a neat design. Below are the four reverse images of the new penny. (Images from US Mint)
<- To the left, the log cabin represents Lincoln's humble beginnings in Kentucky.
The reverse image to the right shows a young Lincoln reading a book and educating himself while working as a rail splitter in Indiana. ->
<- The reverse image to the left shows Lincoln standing in front of the State Capitol in Illinois.
The final reverse image to the right shows a half finished US capitol dome. ->
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 23 September 2008 )
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