Here are 10 surprising facts about **pennies** (the coins)
### **10 Surprising Facts About Pennies**
1. **The First U.S. Penny Was Huge** – The first American penny, minted in 1793, was almost the size of a modern-day half-dollar! It was called the **Large Cent**.
2. **Pennies Used to Be Pure Copper** – Early pennies were made of **100% copper**, but due to rising costs, the composition changed over time.
3. **During WWII, Pennies Were Made of Steel** – In 1943, due to copper shortages needed for the war effort, pennies were made of **zinc-coated steel**. These "Steel Pennies" are now collectors' items.
4. **A Penny Costs More Than a Penny to Make** – It costs about **2.72 cents** to make a single **1-cent** coin. The U.S. government actually loses money producing them!
5. **The Most Valuable Penny is Worth Over $1 Million** – A rare **1943 bronze penny** (made by mistake) sold for **$1.7 million**!
6. **Pennies Are Slowly Disappearing** – Some countries, like Canada, have already stopped making pennies, and there's ongoing debate about whether the U.S. should do the same.
7. **There Are 240 Billion Pennies in Circulation** – If you stacked them, they could reach the **moon and back** multiple times!
8. **Dropping a Penny from a Skyscraper Won’t Hurt Anyone** – Despite the myth, a penny isn’t heavy or aerodynamic enough to cause serious injury if dropped from a tall building.
9. **Pennies Have Hidden Messages** – If you look closely, you’ll see tiny initials on modern pennies, representing the designers who worked on them.
10. **Abraham Lincoln Was the First Real Person on a U.S. Coin** – Before 1909, U.S. coins only featured symbols or fictional figures. Lincoln was the **first** actual historical figure to appear on a coin.
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Let me know if you want facts about a different kind of **Penny**! 😊💰