Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1893 — A Penny. [ARTICLE]

A Penny.

A penny is the most ancient of English coins. The word was originally used for money in general. It is first mentioned in the laws of Ina, King of the West Saxons, about the close of the seventh century, and was of silver deeply indented with a cross so as to be easily broken in two or four parts. It is the radical denomination from which English coin is numbered, weighing twenty-two and one-half grains troy, being the 240th part of a pound. It is stated elsewhere that Ethelbert, King of Kent, coined pennies between 560 and 616 A. D. Edward I. coined gold pennies. In 1797 copper pennies were used, and bronze ones in 1860, valued at half the copper ones. The United States coined copper cents and half cents in 1793, in 1857 a nickel cent, and in 1865 a bronze cent. The word penny is derived from the old German word “pfant,” a pledge. It was the only coin current among the Anglo-Saxons. After Edward 111. the coin decreased in value. To the lowest coin Robert Morris gave the name of “cent,” because it was the 100th part of a dollar. Its first coinage was in 1793.—5 t. Louis Globe-Democrat.