George Stewart shared the following information regarding the birth of the penny.

It seems like the man of many talents and interests Benjamin Franklin was involved.

Sharing below the information George shared with me:

“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.”

Sharing our two “cents” worth for your fun facts about our founding fathers and young country.

Enjoy!