- •Overview
- •In the past, paper money was occasionally issued in denominations less than a dollar (fractional currency) and gold coins were issued for circulation up to the value of 20 dollars.
- •History
- •Continental currency
- •Us Dollar Bills
- •It will get a new design similar to the above denominations in 2008.
- •Us Dollar Coins
- •In 2006, Monticello returned to the reverse, while a new image of Jefferson facing forward was featured on the obverse.
- •It is sometimes referred to as two bits because two bits of a Spanish Reales coin, which was often used in the early years of the United States, made up a quarter of that coin's value.
- •Color and design
Us Dollar Coins
United States coinage was first minted by the new republic in 1792. New coins have been produced every year since then and they make up a valuable aspect of the United States currency system.
Today circulating coins exist in denominations: $0.01, $0.05, $0.10, $0.25, $0.50, and $1.00. Also minted are bullion and commemorative coins. All of these are produced by the United States Mint.
The coins are then sold to Federal Reserve Banks which in turn are responsible for putting coins into circulation and withdrawing them as demanded by the country's economy.
Current coinage
Today four mints operate in the United States producing billions of coins each year. The main mint is the Philadelphia Mint which produces circulating coinage, mint sets and some commemorative coins.
The Denver Mint also produces circulating coinage, mint sets and commemoratives. The San Francisco Mint produces regular and silver proof coinage. The West Point Mint produces bullion coinage (including proofs). Philadelphia and Denver produce the dies used at all of the mints.
The proof and mint sets are manufactured each year and contain examples of all of the year's circulating coins. These and the other non-circulating coins can be purchased directly from the US Mint.
One cent coin One Cent
Obverse: President Abraham Lincoln
Reverse: Lincoln Memorial
Diameter: 19.05 mm
Thickness: 1.55 mm
Mass: 2.5 g
Composition: 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating
Date of first minting: 1959
Common reference: Wheat Penny, Penny, Cent
The United States one-cent coin is a unit of currency equaling one-hundredth of a United States dollar. Its obverse has featured the profile of President Abraham Lincoln since 1909, the centennial of his birth.
Since 1959 (the sesquicentennial of Lincoln's birth), the reverse has featured the Lincoln Memorial. The coin is .75 inches in diameter and .061 inches in thickness.
The one-cent coin is often called a "penny", but the U.S. Mint's official name for this coin is "cent".
Five cents coin Five Cents
Obverse: President Thomas Jefferson
Reverse: Monticello
Diameter: 21.21 mm
Thickness: 1.95 mm
Mass: 5 g
Composition: 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel
Date of first minting: 2006
Common reference: Nickel
The United States five-cent coin, commonly called a nickel, is a unit of currency equaling one-twentieth, or five hundredths, of a United States dollar.
The nickel's design since 1938 has featured a profile of President Thomas Jefferson on the obverse. From 1938 to 2003, Monticello was featured on the reverse.
For 2004 and 2005, nickels featured new designs to commemorate the bicentennials of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition; these new designs were called the Westward Journey nickel series.