Cent or Penny?

[Jacob]

I would have to say Cent but for some reason most people who don't have the knowledge prefers penny. A lot of times when I ask for a box of cents the tellers say you mean a box of pennies? My reply is yeah Ill take a box of pennies too then if they are all foreign coins.

[onecent1909]

Went to a show once.. started looking at a dealers 1984 DDO..
my ( at the time ) 8 year old son walks up with my wife
SON: " Dad is that the penny you need?"
DEALER: ( not nicely) " that is a cent NOT a penny if you want pennies go to England!"
ME: "Yep that is the penny I need... but I will not buy that one! "

If he would have explained it nicely.. that would have been OK. but to take that attitude with a 8 year old... No class
Still don't have a 1984 DDO....

[willbrooks]

Thanks for all of the the replies. I am enjoying this thread immensely. It looks as though "either" is going to win, but the staunch "cent-ists" are close behind! I particularly liked Dick's post. If the mint themselves are calling them pennies, that's pretty tough to argue with! That was a great post. As for me, I feel much the same as a few others that posted. I would definitely say that "cent" is technically correct and probably should be used in Lincoln lexicon by aficionados like ourselves when having technical discussions. However, I have no issue when others use "penny," mostly because there is no real ambiguity or equivocation going on. Everyone knows what people are talking about when they say "penny." When someone comes onto the forum, and talks about their penny, I never assume they are talking about a British coin. The strange thing is that this is odd for me, because I am usually the strict-constructionist type, always siding with the traditionally "correct" usages of words. I have always hated the "English is a living language" argument when people mis-use words. Then words get misused for so long, that they eventually become accepted. I hate that, lol. For instance, most everyone mispronounces the word forte. Pronounced 'for-tay' is an Italian word that means loud; pronounced 'fort' is a French word meaning your strength. Yet everyone says it "wrong" for so long that it is now "right." I guess in this case, although, the "penny" (or penig, pening, penning, pending, pengar, penger, penge, peningur, etc.) has been around longer than our U.S. cent and wasn't originally a base 100 unit, so maybe it shouldn't be applicable. Ok, I am just tormenting myself again now. This is why I have such a large eggnog budget.
You think I am argumentative with you guys? I can't even have 2 thoughts in my head at the same time without them falling out with each other!!!

[JC Stevens]

I think it's party time at Will's. Eggnog for everyone!!!

This is why I have such a large eggnog budget.

[jfines69]

You think I am argumentative with you guys? I can't even have 2 thoughts in my head at the same time without them falling out with each other!!!

Imagine having 4 thoughts at once!!!

[jcuve]

Would prefer cent, but as noted, far too many people colloquially refer to cents as pennies.

[DoubleYou]

Until the cent stops saying ONE CENT and starts saying ONE PENNY, it's going to be a cent.

At least, that's my two pennies worth.

[willbrooks]

Until the cent stops saying ONE CENT and starts saying ONE PENNY, it's going to be a cent.

At least, that's my two pennies worth.

So, what do you call a United States Five Cent coin?

[jfines69]

Isn't that a half dime

[willbrooks]

Isn't that a half dime

Rats! Foiled again! You got me there, Jim! Great answer. Spoken like a true numismatist. Well, anyway, I guess that is a correct answer then, but I say if someone is going to use Wendell's reasoning, then by that same logic, that person shouldn't use the word "nickel" either, should they?

[stoneman227]

I support the US 5 cent piece being called a nickel and I say we become the leaders of a new movement to share our beloved 1 cent coins proper name with the rest of the world.
A Zincoln for your thoughts on this.

John

[jfines69]

Rats! Foiled again! You got me there, Jim! Great answer. Spoken like a true numismatist. Well, anyway, I guess that is a correct answer then, but I say if someone is going to use Wendell's reasoning, then by that same logic, that person shouldn't use the word "nickel" either, should they?

Unless it actually contains nickel

[DoubleYou]

Rats! Foiled again! You got me there, Jim! Great answer. Spoken like a true numismatist. Well, anyway, I guess that is a correct answer then, but I say if someone is going to use Wendell's reasoning, then by that same logic, that person shouldn't use the word "nickel" either, should they?

So.... you're saying a cent should actually be called a copper? Or wait, a zinc??? Or maybe a cinc (short for copper-plated zinc).

[jfines69]

So.... you're saying a cent should actually be called a copper? Or wait, a zinc??? Or maybe a cinc (short for copper-plated zinc).

Only when it works

[stoneman227]

Only when it works

And they always work , no one gives them a second glance.
I used to get two dollar bills from the bank to spend just to see that second glance ! Fun times !