Category Archives: The Liminal Times

A Penny Saved

What pennies lack in purchasing power, they make up for in history. Long before the U.S. was even founded, variations of the word “penny” were commonly used for European currency of various denominations, including pfennig in German and penning in Swedish. (The American use of the word “penny” came from the British term for one-twelfth of a shilling.) It was in 1793 that the U.S. Mint finally struck its first penny — though its official name is the “one-cent piece” — which means that pennies have been jangling around in the pockets of Americans since the Washington administration. From design alterations to record-shattering values, here are some factslaps about the smallest current monetary denomination in the U.S.:

Benjamin Franklin Designed the First Penny

Long before Abraham Lincoln’s portrait graced the face of the one-cent piece, founding father Benjamin Franklin reportedly conceived of an early coin design now known as the “Fugio” penny. Franklin’s concept was first approved and manufactured under the watchful eye of the Congress of the Confederation in 1787, predating the U.S. Mint’s production by several years. The Fugio penny’s obverse depicts a sun and sundial accompanied by the Latin word “fugio” (translating to “I fly”), as well as the phrase “Mind Your Business.” On its other side, the reverse, the cent features the words “We Are One,” surrounded by 13 chain links to represent the original 13 colonies. All told, U.S. pennies have featured 11 different designs throughout history.

Abraham Lincoln Was the First Real Person to Appear on a U.S. Coin

Speaking of redesigns, it was in 1909 that the penny underwent a visual change that remains constant to this day. From 1859 to 1909, the U.S. penny depicted the silhouette of a fictitious Native American person. In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt decided to celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s 100th birthday by changing the coin’s design to feature Lincoln’s face — making Lincoln the first real person to appear on U.S. coinage. To create the design, Roosevelt enlisted the acclaimed medalist Victor David Brenner, who designed the portrait of Lincoln that now appears on all pennies. George Washington would later appear on the quarter, beginning in 1932; Thomas Jefferson was added to the face of the nickel in 1938; and FDR showed up on dimes beginning in 1946.

Pennies Cost More To Make Than They’re Worth

Despite their storied history, pennies may not be around for much longer, due to the fact that they’re so expensive to make. The manufacturing cost for a penny is more than double its value — in 2021, each penny cost 2.1 cents to strike. That same year, the government produced 7.6 billion pennies, equating to a financial loss of $145.8 million. Part of the reason for this financial conundrum is that pennies are composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, two metals that have recently dramatically risen in price. Several movements have begun in support of eliminating the coin from circulation, which is something America’s neighbors to the north chose to do with their own penny all the way back in 2012.

The Most Valuable Penny Sold for $1.7 Million

Not all pennies are massive money drains. In fact, one penny sold at auction in 2010 for a whopping $1.7 million. The one-of-a-kind coin was accidentally struck in 1943, using a leftover bronze coin disc from 1942 at a time when the government was experimenting with other materials so they could preserve copper for wartime efforts in World War II. The auctioned coin is the only one known to have been mistakenly cast in bronze at the Denver Mint, making it exceedingly rare, though an additional 20 Lincoln pennies were believed to have been struck in bronze at the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints. Throughout World War II, zinc-coated steel was ultimately used for pennies as part of the aforementioned conservation efforts.

The Penny Isn’t the Lowest-Value U.S. Coin Ever Produced

From 1793 to 1857, the penny held the distinction of being the second least-valuable American coin, since the U.S. Mint produced a half-cent coin during that time period. The first half-cent depicted Lady Liberty on its face, though subsequent redesigns would alter her appearance as well as the way she was facing. The half-cent was ultimately discontinued due to its perceived worthlessness at the time — though it would be worth 14 cents today when adjusted for inflation, making it more valuable than several modern coins still in circulation. From a collector’s standpoint, the half-cent is even more valuable, with lower-quality examples selling for $40, whereas some uncirculated half-cents are valued at up to $100,000.

Getting Out of Your Head by Thinking About It

We’ve all been there – caught in a spiral of anxious thoughts, burning with anger, or drowning in sadness. These intense emotions can feel all-consuming, as if they are our entire reality.

But what if there was a way to step back and gain some perspective?

Enter the art of mental otherization.

Your Brain: A Wrinkly Wet Computer

The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by emotion, try this: picture your brain. Not the abstract concept of your mind, but the actual physical organ inside your skull. Visualize that wrinkly, wet, gray three-pound slab of meat with its spinal cord tail.

Now imagine that chunk of biological material getting all worked up.

Suddenly, your anxiety or anger might seem a bit… silly. After all, it’s just a piece of flesh throwing a biochemical tantrum. This mental shift can help you detach from the intensity of your emotions and view them more objectively.

Bringing Out Your Inner Animal

Another technique is animalization. Ask yourself: if my current emotional state were an animal, what would it be?

  • Anxiety might be a squirrel, darting about frantically and hoarding nuts for an imagined future catastrophe.
  • Anger could be a puffed-up cat, hissing and arching its back at a perceived threat.
  • Depression might manifest as a sloth, barely moving and seeing no point in expending energy.

By associating your feelings with an animal, you create a mental image that’s easier to observe and even find humor in. It’s much simpler to calm down a frightened squirrel or soothe an angry cat than it is to wrangle with abstract emotions.

Becoming the Narrator of Your Own Story

The third method is third-person personification. Instead of thinking “I am angry,” try “John is angry.” Or choose any name you like: “Beatrice is feeling anxious right now.”

This approach turns you into the narrator of your own emotional story.

Like a writer crafting a character, you can analyze Beatrice’s feelings with greater clarity and compassion. Why is she anxious? What would help her feel better?

By creating this narrative distance, you gain the ability to be both the protagonist experiencing the emotion and the author guiding the story to a more positive resolution.

The Power of Perspective

These techniques all share a common thread: they create psychological distance between you and your emotions.

This distance doesn’t invalidate your feelings, but it does give you room to breathe, reflect, and respond more thoughtfully.

So the next time you’re caught in an emotional storm, remember: you’re not your feelings. You’re the observer of a wrinkly brain, the caretaker of an expressive animal, or the author of your own tale.

After all, it’s hard to stay too wrapped up in your own head when you’re imagining it as a damp, grumpy blob of gray matter.