May 23rd, 2024
National Lucky Penny Day
National Lucky Penny Day is celebrated annually in the United States on May 23rd. It’s a day to find and celebrate lucky pennies. Even though pennies may not have much monetary value, many people believe that they bring good luck. Most of you have probably heard the saying, “find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck” or at least something similar. In celebration of National Lucky Penny Day, I thought it would be fun to learn more about the penny. So, here are some interesting and fun facts:
- Benjamin Franklin reportedly designed the first American penny in 1787;
- The original design of the penny featured the phrase “Mind Your Business”;
- Later the penny featured the phrase “In God We Trust”;
- The penny was made of pure copper until 1857;
- The current penny is made mainly of zinc with a copper coating;
- President Abraham Lincoln was first featured on the penny in 1909 to commemorate his 100th birthday;
- The United States penny is named after the popular British penny;
- The U.S. Treasury’s official name of the American penny is “one-cent piece”
- The penny was the first coin minted in the U.S.; and
- According to the U.S. Mint’s 2023 Annual Report, it costs 3.07 cents to make, administer and distribute the one-cent coin.
So, on May 23rd, keep your eye on the ground because you just might be fortunate enough to find a lucky penny on National Lucky Penny Day. Happy National Penny Day!
;)
