My Two-cents Worth

Two-cent Piece There was a time when you could get change for a nickel and NEITHER coin would be a penny! The copper two-cent piece was only minted from 1864 to 1873. I wonder what they called it besides "the two-cent piece"? Two-cent Piece
 
Nickel Three-cent Piece The other coin in your change for a nickel was a nickel three-cent piece! It was made from 1865 to 1889 and was smaller and thinner than a 5 cent nickel; just about the size of a dime. The confusion it caused must have hurried its demise. The mint makes this same mistake once every other generation or so. Nickel Three-cent Piece
 
Silver Three-cent Piece The most curious little U.S. coin was the little silver three-cent piece! (1851 to 1873) I can't imagine what possessed the people at the mint when they came up with THIS one. Remind me to read up on it and report back to you later! Silver Three-cent Piece
 
Large Cent This is the size our "penny" was from when it was first minted in 1793 until 1857. We call it the "Large cent", although I don't imagine they called it that back then. Large, as opposed to what? Hmm, I wonder how the Romans dated their coins in the years "B.C."? Large Cent
 




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The U.S. Mint.
Photography and webpage design:
© Gene Tencza, 1998
Page last revised: 3/22/01
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