1984 Double Die Lincoln Cent

And yet the 5 cent piece doesn't say nickel on it, but it calling it a nickel for some reason doesn't cause any controversy. :)

Vermontensium has it right...unless it's a numismatically related conversation, article, or report, I just use 'penny' because that's what ALL of the public of this country calls them. Go into the bank and tell them you would like to buy, "one roll of one cent coins and two rolls of five cent coins". They will look at you like you just fell from outer space. "One roll of pennies and two rolls of nickels" is simply the colloquially accepted language.

Daggit, Welcome to the forum, I have used the term penny many times and like others do not feel it is needed to worry about that term, unless it is in the discussion of coins and such, with fellow collectors and Numismatists, enjoy the hobby and the education here that comes with it, Mike...

Hi,

Let it be known that I would never even think of berating anyone for using penny instead of cent. I know that it wasn't suggested that I do, but there are folks out there who really do get bent out of shape over it:-) I just use it as an educational tool to explain the differences and the origins of the terms.

Terms get muddy over time and I like to wash some of the mud off now and then.

have Fun,
Bill

I think if a poll was taken (actually, one was done here I believe) I think most people, collectors and non-collectors alike, would use the word penny. As far as bank tellers go, well, most I have noticed are young and have only heard the word penny. If you showed them a 2 Cent Piece or a 3 Cent Piece or a 20 Cent Piece, I guarantee you they would have never known such coins even exist

You too
I was thinking. Cent is one syllable and penny is two. Maybe it's more palatable to say penny. Anyway, that was stupid

I like to compare the Cent /Penny thing to something else that I am very familiar with ...birds:-)

When I say parakeet, most people think of a specific bird seen in many pet shops around the country. A parakeet in reality is a term used to describe many small to medium sized parrots and is not one specific bird.

The fact that people have called those small birds parakeets when in reality the bird is a budgerigar has created a false impression that those cute little birds are "THE" parakeet and not just a type of parakeet, which is a general umbrella under which many small parrots fall.

Even though the terminology is entirely incorrect as a specific name for a specific specie of bird, parakeet has become synonymous with budgerigar.

The term parakeet can be properly applied to many smaller parrots and those familiar with the Quaker Parrot may know that they are also known as the Monk parakeet. Some conures are known as parakeets and so on.

I don't want to get too much into parrots but the point is the same.

Common usage of a word doesn't really change the true definition of a word but it does become so common that newer generations of people don't hear any other term used and by virtue of that, an incorrect piece of terminology is created by default.

When I do talks on parrots, I always use the proper terminology so that those who may be interested can learn the correct term. As a teacher, I would be remiss if I didn't try to correct the terminology used.

I've had people ask me....What is a budgerigar who are delighted to find out that it is what they have always known as a "Parakeet". I have also had some folks look at me like I was nuts and that's OK too. It is important in education to use the proper terms in order to communicate ideas in a consistent way.

And...so it is with the Cent/Penny. It is a cent and calling it a penny for so long created a common usage of a word but it doesn't change the fact that the coin is a cent:-)

If nothing else, it's fun to see what kinds of reactions you get when you get into topics like this:-)

Have Fun,
Bill