Many believe it’s time for the penny to disappear because it no longer has much value as a monetary coin. Do many others wonder how thick is a penny? Others say it may have become worthless, but that doesn’t mean we can get rid of it just yet. One can learn a lot about this little coin that has been around since the 19th Century and continues to fascinate us today. Here are some interesting facts about the penny.
HOW THICK IS A PENNY? THE PENNY IS NOT WORTH ONE CENT
The penny is not worth one cent because the U.S. Mint does not make pennies to be worth one cent. Each penny costs more than one cent to produce. The government is spending more to make pennies than they are worth, which is why they are trying to get rid of them. However, if you have a penny jar and want to put it to good use, don’t try to cash it in for one cent.
There Are More Than 2 Billion Pennies In Circulation Right Now
As of May 2019, more than 2 billion pennies are in circulation. The U.S. Mint has been making pennies since 1909; since then, over 6 billion have been produced. The first pennies made were made from copper and had a value of 1 cent. Today, pennies are made from copper zinc and only have a value of 1 cent.
THE PENNY IS MADE OF COPPER AND ZINC
Next time you look at a penny, take a closer look at the coin. You will find that it is made of copper and zinc. This is because the cent has a composition of 95% copper and 5% zinc. Although penny manufacturing began in the late 19th Century, it was not until 1909 that the penny was made of copper.
More U.S. Pennies Have Been Minted During The 20th Century Than Any Other Century
If you love collecting pennies and have a large penny jar at home, this is something you may be interested in. Pennies have been minted since the late 19th Century. Still, more of them have been produced during the 20th Century than in any other century.
Over 2.4 billion pennies were minted between 1909 and 1958 alone. As you can see, pennies are worth something and may even be worth more than you think. Some people even argue that they are worth more than they are currently worth because they will become rarer as time passes and fewer are produced. Either way, they are here to stay, for the time being, so get used to seeing them in your change.
Now that you know how thick a penny is, you can understand why many people want to get rid of pennies. They cost more to make than they’re worth, and many believe that it’s time to retire them. However, others believe that we need the penny to stay and that it has plenty of good uses.