Why We Need To Keep The U. S. Cent

A lot of people here have expressed disdain for the Lincoln cent/penny (yeah, I know, technically it's not a penny, but come on, people have been calling it a penny for eons, so what's the big deal?) and have called for it to be discontinued.

I, for one, say Feh! We need to keep the penny alive.

Why? Because that's how we keep the hobby young, by attracting kids. I'd wager that 90% of collectors started their collections with pennies. Why? Because that's all they could afford to take out of their piggy banks and stow into a folder. I well remember the satisfaction of looking over my change, knowing that if I found a penny that wasn't yet in my folder, I could easily donate it and I would still be able to buy another candy bar. And I also remember the excitement when that very thing took place.

As kids grow up, they're always looking for ways to enlarge their participation in society. Having their own coin collection gives them a sense of power, control, and a taste for economics as well as a sense of the future through investing.

Lose the pennies, and our hobby will suffer because little kids will be less inclined to start. As the older numismatists die out, no one will be there to take their place.