What Is The Difference Between A Penny And A Cent?

Well, they are all pennies, but they are not all cents. A cent should a 1/100th of something. In modern American currency, a penny is 1/100th of a dollar, so it is a cent. Some people here will tell you that means the American coin is not a penny. Many album makers disagree with them, so I do too (respectfully).

EDIT: British currency has switched to a "decimal" system, and a penny (singular of pence) is now 1/100th of a dollar. I think my explanation may need some help from some other folks here, after all.

Because it says cent on the back.

Careful Podoprigora! Some people feel very stongly about this issue...you may start a fight!

As far as US (and Canadian) coinage is concerned, the answer is relatively simple: "penny" is a slang term for a 1 cent coin (just as "nickel" is a slang term for a 5 cent coin and "benjamin" is a slang term for a $100 note). "Cent" is it's denomination and it's official title.

For foreign coins, the answer is almost as simple. A "penny" was (between 1798 and 1970) a large bronze or copper coin worth 1/240th of a pound. These pennies are no longer in use anywhere in the world. Some confusion arises from a second monetary unit, also called the "penny", adopted when Britain and it's dependencies went decimal in 1971. This "decimal penny" or "new penny" is worth 1/100th of a pound, and is therefore the "British equivalent of a cent". "Penny" is not used as a slang word for "cent" anywhere outside of North America. I should also point out that "cent" is not used as a slang word for "penny", either.

The only difficulty arises is when people (particularly people from North America) are ambiguous about whether they are talking about American coins or not.

Using the word "penny" in the "North American" parts of this forum (Classic and Modern US coins, and the Canadian section) causes no ambiguity; if you say "I've got a 1930 penny" in the US subforums, everyone there knows you're talking about a Lincoln Cent dated 1930.

However, in the "International" subforums of CCF (including right here in the "Main forum", that statement is ambiguous. Do you mean a British penny, an Australian penny, a South African penny... or are you using the word as a slang term for a US cent? We can't tell, and would need to ask for further clarification or (even worse) give you wrong information, like answering "Wow, a 1930 penny is extremely rare and valuable". That would be true, if you were talking about an Australian 1930 penny. But not a British penny, or a US cent.

It always amuses me when I hear Americans say they've found an Australian or British "large cent". Britain has never issued "cents", and Australia has never issued "large" ones. The coins are "pennies", and they say so quite clearly on the coins themselves. Apparently, some Americans have been reading the word "cent" and saying "penny" for so long, the words have become interchangeable in their heads, so that when they see the word "penny" on a coin, they say "cent".

the atlantic ocean.

Yes, you're right. The Atlantic is a good way to separate them!

Seriously, though. What I meant to say was, that for about 30 some years of my life I didn't know there was a difference. Now that I do, it's tough to change. And, I would assume that many others are the same way. Know what I mean?

I used to be really uptight about this topic, but a couple of the members here made me realise that is really no big deal unless it creates confusion.

so I don't say much any more about it unless it creates confusion.

I still use cent and penny but I accept the interchangable aspect of the terms.

I think not long ago someone asked what the most repeditive subjects about coins came up. I think this one was missed. Probably on the top ten.
And it is true there are some real honest to goodnest people that get all wired up about calling OUR PENNIES, PENNIES. I usually try to remind them that this is America and we speak American, not English, not German, Not Korean, but American. If we want to call and Apple a beach ball, then in America an Apple becomes a Beach Ball. Say what you want, but this is OUR language and we can say what we want, call stuff what we want, it's OUR language.
As to Pennies, not long ago someone posted songs of ours such as Pennies from Heaven, Penny Lover, Penny Lane, Penny Seranade, etc.
Our government says PENNIES. Probably 99% of all kids in school say PENNIES. Every one I know says PENNIES.
In the USA there is over 300,000,000 people and probably 299,999,990 say PENNIES. Unfortunately somehow coin forums finds those last 10 holdouts.
If your new here, stick around for at least one year so you can try cointing how many times this one pops up in that time frame.