What is the story........

Brutalfly

Behind this penny? I have seen a few other states on pennies like this on ebay but I did not know why they were made or if they were made at a later date or even if this was an original thing.
I have a younger son who collects coins and loves the state of Rhode Island so I thought I would ask
Thank you for your help!

JBK

Novelties produced outside the mint. Originally in sets of 50. These sorts of things have been around since the 60s or 70s. No real value but fun to collect if they interest you.

Brutalfly

Thank you for the information. I appreciate it.

KellenCoin

Yes, these are novelties produced with basic stamps. A similar one was produced with the head of Kennedy stamped on.

ricko

Novelty items, but still found - occasionally - in circulation. As mentioned above, also some with a Kennedy profile.... I doubt all 50 states could be found in circulation now... been 50/60 years since they were popular. Cheers, RickO

BuffaloIronTail

I echo ricko's comment above. Cents with Kennedy stamped on the obverse began showing up after the assassination in 1963.

A lot of them came with a "strange facts" card about peculiarities between the two Presidents.

Pete

BillyKingsley

I have seen these for sale in rest areas along the nys Thruway not very long ago. Maybe 15 years. Before I really began collecting so pre 2008.

KellenCoin

@BuffaloIronTail said:
I echo ricko's comment above. Cents with Kennedy stamped on the obverse began showing up after the assassination in 1963.

A lot of them came with a "strange facts" card about peculiarities between the two Presidents.

Pete

I saw one of these once! Did you know Lincoln had an assistant named Kennedy and Kennedy had an assistant called Lincoln?

Brutalfly

Interesting information.
I will have to keep my eye out for these things.

That leads me to ask if the Free Mason pennies are the same type of thing or where they made by the mints?

Jimnight

Novelties...each state has there state stamped on the Lincoln cent. You can actually buy the whole set on ebay

tommy44

@Brutalfly said:
That leads me to ask if the Free Mason pennies are the same type of thing or where they made by the mints?

Also novelties,

mvs7

From eBay... seller needs to work on close-ups, but otherwise interesting.