The mint decided this, Congress had no input.
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Start with a cent on day one and double it every day for a month and see how much you have after the last day - Day 1 = 1c, Day 2 = 2c, day 3 = 4c, day 4 = 8c, etc... I pick them up :LOL_Hair:
This is one argument against the cent, that I call a red herring. First off, a cent is only a tool used for exchange and the cost to make it has nothing to do with the value it represents. If it is used 100 times, does that make it worth 1 dollar, or used 10,000 times, worth 100 dollars ? The idea that government can manufacture wealth out of non-precious metals or paper is ridiculous....using that logic they should only create one million dollar bills. And yes, I know they try, but it is all an illusion in the end...one day we will pay the piper.:)
I think it was interesting that the addition of the "P" was recommended by mint workers as an achievement. Is that kinda like getting a tattoo to celebrate something special or was the conversation more like.... Denver has a D... we want a P!
At the end of the day isn't all wealth an illusion we have all bought into? You can't eat it or start a fire for comfort with it. All we do is use it for barter or bragging rights. Might be able to build shelter if you had enough gold and silver bars tho!!:LOL_Hair:
We can all go back to the barter system. Try carrying a cow in your pants pocket.:sign10:
Just think of all of the traffic the forum will get next year when people see a P on their cents and ask if it is an error!