# New US Penny Reverse.... it's Beautiful! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 19, 2010, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598 "2010-02-19T05:40:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/21 "2010-02-19T14:02:00Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Great idea! Let’s just do away with any numbers to the right of the decimal! That would make it easier for everyone, right? In fact, let’s only count by tens. We don’t need single digit numbers anymore, they’re almost unnecessary in this day and age, right? Right?? > > :dubious: > :smack: It works in Austrailia where they got rid of the Penny. They round to the nearest 5 cent. > [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > First change for the penny, but they’ve changed the bills however many times, from little face in the circle, to big face in the circle, to big face outside the circle; they changed the nickel from Jefferson profile with Montecello on the back, to those 2004 “Lewis and Clark” commemorations on the back, and now it’s something like Jefferson in 3/4, with Montecello on the back again; they’ve been doing all those state quarters; they had the Susan B. Anthony dollar coin, and then the gold Sacagawea dollars, and now the presidential ones. > > They keep changing the money around, and it’s annoying. [Del]You think it’s annoying? Try counterfeiting it. You have no idea how much of a pain in the as[/Del] Damn straight it’s annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/22 "2010-02-19T14:13:00Z")
You know since they changed pennies to mostly zinc, you can melt them on a stovetop. Try it some time. It will probably be a couple of years before I see one of these things close up, but to me the new design looks like a bus token; and the prominent initials on either side look like ® and © symbols at first glance. ETA: huh, that didn’t come out. But you know what I mean: the little “r” and the little “c” with circles around them. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/23 "2010-02-19T15:22:35Z")
I like that it has our true and much better motto: E PLURIBUS UNUM. Now if they’d just get rid of the lame ‘In god We Trust’ it will truly be modern. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/24 "2010-02-19T15:25:25Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > You know since they changed pennies to mostly zinc, you can melt them on a stovetop. Try it some time. > > It will probably be a couple of years before I see one of these things close up, but to me the new design looks like a bus token; and the prominent initials on either side look like (r) and (c) symbols at first glance. > > ETA: huh, that didn’t come out. But you know what I mean: the little “r” and the little “c” with circles around them. ® (alt+0174) © (alt+0169)? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/25 "2010-02-19T15:26:20Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > This new one is nice but I just prefer the penny I am familiar with. That’s exactly what some people said in 1959. I wonder what opposition there was in 1909, when Lincoln became the first actual individual to appear on a U.S. coin, rather than someone who was merely symbolic. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/26 "2010-02-19T16:14:36Z")
> [@kidneyfailure](#): > > …This new one is nice but I just prefer the penny I am familiar with. I guess some people just don’t like change. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/27 "2010-02-19T17:19:48Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I can’t find when the new pennies will be appearing. Am I missing something obvious? According to the [U.S. Mint](http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/index.cfm?action=press_release&ID=1101), the new penny was put into circulation on February 11- the day before Lincoln’s birthday. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/28 "2010-02-19T17:20:42Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I guess some people just don’t like change. Hey! He was just giving his 2 cents. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/29 "2010-02-19T17:37:45Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I like the Lincoln Memorial back better. On a bright shiny penny it is stunningly beautiful, even better than the back of the $5 bill. I will be more than happy to trade you any of my stuningly beautiful bright shiny pennies straight up for any of your disgusting looking $5 bills. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/30 "2010-02-19T17:43:36Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I like the Lincoln Memorial back better. Agreed. I mean, it’s nice that the new penny is bigger, so you can see all that detail, but I’d kind of like that benefit to accrue to the image of the Lincoln Memorial. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/31 "2010-02-19T18:15:02Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Agreed. I mean, it’s nice that the new penny is bigger, so you can see all that detail, but I’d kind of like that benefit to accrue to the image of the Lincoln Memorial. I got no indication that they increased the size of the coin. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/32 "2010-02-19T20:02:41Z")
I learned a new word, “obverse”, so I now have something new to smugly insert into my general vocabulary and entertain myself while irritating others. That’s worth every penny. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/33 "2010-02-19T20:58:12Z")
My wife, the first grade teacher, groans whenever she hears that they’re changing the design of the currency again. For example she has to teach 5 year olds what a nickel is, and how much it is worth, based on pictures of what it looks like, and now those pictures are all out of date. When a coin has several variants, many of which aren’t in the textbooks, the kids get utterly confused. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/34 "2010-02-19T21:16:19Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > My wife, the first grade teacher, groans whenever she hears that they’re changing the design of the currency again. For example she has to teach 5 year olds what a nickel is, and how much it is worth, based on pictures of what it looks like, and now those pictures are all out of date. When a coin has several variants, many of which aren’t in the textbooks, the kids get utterly confused. Then it’s time for her to teach them that not all nickels are identical . . . just like people. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/35 "2010-02-19T22:22:40Z")
Looks a little cartoony, but maybe that’s just the style of the illustration. I think the Lincoln Memorial engraving is lovely – esp. since I discovered that you can in fact see a tiny sliver of Lincoln’s head between the columns. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/36 "2010-02-19T22:25:17Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I guess some people just don’t like change. Well played! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/37 "2010-02-19T22:25:35Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > My wife, the first grade teacher, groans whenever she hears that they’re changing the design of the currency again. For example she has to teach 5 year olds what a nickel is, and how much it is worth, based on pictures of what it looks like, and now those pictures are all out of date. When a coin has several variants, many of which aren’t in the textbooks, the kids get utterly confused. Well, that’s why they never change the size or thickness of the coins – and why the dime is still smaller than the nickel and the penny even though it’s no longer made of silver. **That’s** something interesting she can teach them about! ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/38 "2010-02-19T22:58:52Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > How long until they phase out the penny completely? It is becoming an almost unnecessary piece of coinage. Not to mention getting more and more difficult to manufacture for less than than its face value. Not until they get over the egregious practice of not adding on the sales tax until you are at the checkout. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/39 "2010-02-19T23:06:14Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Not until they get over the egregious practice of not adding on the sales tax until you are at the checkout. Which can really only happen if sales tax gets generalized. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Baldy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Gary\_Baldy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Baldy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598/40 "2010-02-19T23:08:45Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > That’s exactly what some people said in 1959. I wonder what opposition there was in 1909, when Lincoln became the first actual individual to appear on a U.S. coin, rather than someone who was merely symbolic. Well, Washington did appear on several tokens between 1783-1795. Of course, those were not minted under the authority of the United States, so I guess they don’t count. The US Mint issued coins with Columbus, Isabella, Washington, Lafayette, Jefferson, McKinley, Lewis and Clark before Lincoln appeared on any coin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-us-penny-reverse-its-beautiful/529598.md?page=3)