MAKING CENTS OF PENNIES

Wellcome back, fellow Coin Roll Hunters!
Today we are going on a numismatic adventure.

So far we have gathered our gear, gone on a coin roll hunt in search of our Birth-Year penny, and learned about mint marks on Lincoln pennies. Now, I am going to explain the difference between a penny and a cent.

Let's begin by taking a closer look at the reverse of our Birth-Year Pennies.

Here is the reverse of my 1983D penny:

Take a look below the Lincoln Memorial, and you will notice the words "ONE CENT".
Have you ever wondered why it doesn't read "ONE PENNY"?

It can be broken down like this.

The word "Penny" is a common term that refers to a type of coin.

For example, here are some other types of American coins you are probably already familiar with:

Penny, Nickel, Dime, and Quarter.

These are the words we use commonly as a reference to certain types of American coins.

However, the word "Cent" is used as a reference to the face value of a certain type of coin.

1 Penny is equal to 1 Cent.
1 Nickel is equal to 5 Cents.
1 Dime is equal to 10 Cents.
1 Quarter is equal to 25 Cents.

So, a Cashier can give you 30 Cents but, that doesn't tell you what type of coins they have given to you. That person may have given you a quarter and a nickel or, three dimes. But, if you're really lucky, maybe they gave you 30 pennies!

Simply put, that's the difference between what is meant by the common term "Penny" and the value described as a "Cent". However, I did say this was a numismatic adventure.

Numismatically speaking, the word "Cent" is also used to describe a class of coins.
Oh, Brother!

Class refers to a category of things. For instance, American coins with face values that are less than one dollar. But, are also separated from each other by differences, such as type, size, or design. Each type of coin will create its own sub-class within the larger class of its category.

By classifying coins this way, the term "Cent" is applied to separate the classes and types of coins.

For an example, let's look at just the One Cent Pennies.

In the beginning, there is the class of Large Cents. That is to say, One Cent coins which were minted from 1793 to 1857, and which are different in some way from One Cent coins after 1857.

Indeed, these Large Cent coins were much larger in diameter than the pennies we use today. This is the reason why we have separated them out into their own class.

Large Cents were then followed by the class of Small Cents, which were minted from 1856 to the present. 

1856 to 1857 was a transitional year and was used to show Congress how the newer, smaller, Flying Eagle Cents would look as the country transitioned into using the smaller diameter One Cent Pennies.

So, where do our Birth-Year Pennies fit in?
For that, all we need for reference is the date struck on the obverse of the coin.

My Birth-Year Penny shows 1983. This means it falls into a class of coins minted from 1856 to the present, known as Small Cents. And, the class of Small Cents includes many different sub-class designs:

The Flying Eagle (1856 - 1858)
The Indian Head (1859 - 1909)
The Lincoln, Wheat Ears Reverse (1909-1958)
The Lincoln, Memorial Reverse (1959-2008)
The Lincoln, Bicentennial (2009)
The Lincoln, Shield Reverse (2010 - Present)

Now, wasn't that easy?

Let me know what you think about pennies and cents in your comments below. Include any other coin-related questions or coin hunting ideas as well.

Join me next time, as we continue to explore the class of Small Cents.

Keep growing your numismatic knowledge with these great books!
1) A Guide Book of United States Coins: The Official Red Book
2) The Power of the Penny: Abraham Lincoln Inspires a Nation

Happy Hunting!