National Geographic Society

  • Connect:

Bad Business Facts

Jesse working overnight to complete the Indian statue.

Jesse working overnight to complete the Indian statue. (View larger version)

Photograph by National Geographic Channels

Published
  • The Indian Head Cent was produced from 1859 to 1909.

  • The Indian Head Penny's engraver was the Chief Engraver at the US Mint between 1844 and 1869.

  • The first US pennies were made of pure copper, today they are almost entirely zinc.

  • The name "penny" comes from British currency.

  • Abraham Lincoln has been on the US penny for over 100 years.

  • Did you know? Abraham Lincoln is on both sides of the modern US penny.

  • The US Mint's first batch of pennies was worth $111.78.

  • The image on the first US penny was of a lady with flowing hair, symbolizing liberty.

  • A US penny weighs 2.5 grams.

  • The US Mint was created with the coinage act of 1972.

  • The Philadelphia Mint can produce up to one million coins in thirty minutes.

  • President Lincoln was the first president to appear on a US coin.

  • The US Mint has made coins for foreign countries.

  • The outside layer of a US penny is copper, the inside is all zinc.

  • Collectors grade coins on a scale of 1 to 70.