Abe, the lone ranger...
joeykoins
Posts: 16,209 ✭✭✭✭✭
Out of all the denominations in U.S. coinage, why do you suppose the 1Cent, was the only coin that didn't contain silver? Even way back when the cent first came out. Just curious. Hm-m-m? 
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.0
Comments
Copper, Silver, Gold
Progression in the value of the metal.
Don't forget that 1/2 cent!
Yeah, even the half cent. Now I know there was silver in a 3 cent but in no 1 cent.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.The cent never was worth enough to merit silver. Remember how small the 3 cent silver was...
Traditionally, the lowest denominations a country issued were made of copper or bronze.
As mentioned above, the half cent was never silver, nor was the two cent piece. I believe (but 100% sure) that we have never had a silver 5 cent coin, except for the low grade silver war nickels, which was an emergency measure. (I know, there were silver half dimes).
Well, yes. At least the Jefferson had the 35%. You think nowadays, the Mint would of tried to have a Lincoln
Silver" Cent. I know about the Silver Lincoln that came out several years ago.
"Jesus died for you and for me, Thank you,Jesus"!!!
--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.There are a number of other US coin denominations that never contained silver......
Double Eagle
Eagle
Half Eagle
Three-Dollar Gold
Quarter Eagle
Coins were originally worth the value of their metal content. A 20-dollar silver coin would have been too large to conveniently carry and a 1-cent silver coin would have been even smaller than the ridiculously small 3CS.
1/2C
C
2C
3CS - yes
3CN
H10c - yes
Nickel - yes (a few)
Dime - yes
20c - yes
Quarter - yes
50c - yes
$1 - yes
G$1
$2.5
$3
$5
$10
$20
From what I can see only 8/18 or 44% of US coin denominations contained silver. This assumes that the gold dollar and silver dollar are regarded as distinct denominations. The silver coins just happened to be the ones that became the workhorses of commerce in day-to-day use. As such, they were generally produced in larger quantities than the others.
Of course, there were patterns such as the silver center cent that you can count if you'd like.
It just represents the metals value.... which is justification for the zinc/copper plated cent of today...and it still is a net loser. Cheers, RickO
https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1792-1c-silver-center-cent-j-1-bn/11001
Collector, occasional seller
They still use zinc cents for proofs. Could at least use copper for proofs.
The cent was never worth enough to contain silver. The one exception was the 1792 cent patterns, the silver center cent and the fusion cent. Both of those coins had silver in them in mistaken belief that a coin had to have a melt value equal to its face value to be accepted. Those 1792 experiments remained on the drawing board which is were they belonged.