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A little reason to celebrate

National One Cent Day

History · April 1

A look at the one cent coin, the smallest US coin by value, and the jars, fountains and pockets where pennies tend to end up.

National One Cent Day falls on Thursday, April 1, 2027. That is 156 days away.

The one cent coin is the smallest piece of US money by value, and probably the one people think about least. It is the penny, the copper colored coin that shows up in change, under couch cushions and at the bottom of bags.

The front carries a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the coin has looked much the same for a long time. Most modern pennies are made mostly of zinc with a thin copper coating, which is why an old, scratched one can show a pale gray metal underneath. Pick up a handful and the colors vary from bright new copper to a dark brown that is almost black.

Pennies have a way of collecting. They gather in jars on dressers, in dishes by the register, in car cup holders. Some people roll them and take them to a bank. Others toss them into fountains or press them flat in souvenir machines at museums and zoos, where a crank stretches the coin into an oval with a picture on it.

Marking the day is easy and costs almost nothing. Sort a jar by the dates stamped on each coin and see which is the oldest. Look at the back designs, which have changed several times over the coin's life. Kids can make a simple rubbing by laying paper over a penny and shading it with a pencil.

The word cent comes from the Latin for one hundred, since a hundred of them make a dollar.

Ways to celebrate

• Sort your penny jar and find the oldest coin in it.
• Make a pencil rubbing of a penny with a child.
• Compare the back designs on several pennies.
• Roll loose pennies and take them to the bank.

Dates

All national days on April 1

Also on April 1

• April Fools' Day
• National Burrito Day
• National Sourdough Bread Day
• U.S. Air Force Academy Day
• National Trombone Players Day

Categories: History days