Which Presidents Are On Coins?
Which President In On Each Coin?
The Coinage Act of 1972 proclaimed the creation of the first United States Mint, which was in Philadelphia. Followed by the Mint Act of 1972, these two Acts served to both create and regulate a coin currency. The first coin issued was the silver dollar, which began the decimal system for future U.S. currency. There are currently four mints in the U.S which mints coins. They are the Philadelphia Mint, the Denver Mint, the San Francisco Mint, and the West Point Mint.
Which President Is On The Penny?
Abraham Lincoln is on the Unites States one-cent coin. Abraham Lincoln served as the 16th president of the United States from March 4, 1861 until his untimely death at the hands of assassin John Wilkes Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer who shot the president during a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington DC, on April 15, 1865.
In 1909, President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned the penny to celebrate the 100th birthday of Lincoln. It costs the U.S. 1.85 cents to create each penny, due to the costs of material, production, and distribution. Due to this cost discrepancy, the U.S. loses approximately $50-$60 million each year in penny production. That is why there is constant chatter that the U.S. will stop producing the penny (in addition to inflation).
Which President Is On The Nickel?
Thomas Jefferson is on the United States five-cent coin. Thomas Jefferson served as the third president from March 4, 1801 until March 4, 1809. Prior to his presidency, Jefferson was most known for writing the Declaration of Independence declaring 13 colonies free from English rule. In 1938, a competition was held to find a rendition of Jefferson to put on the nickel in 1943 to commemorate Jefferson's 100th birthday. The winner received $1,000. The Jefferson nickel replaced the Buffalo nickel which was first struck in 1913. In 1942, the US issued a wartime nickel composed of only 35% silver. These war nickels were marked with a P, to indicate the change in substance. Though Jefferson is on the nickel, the US Mint does produce other variations, including the 2014 American Gold Buffalo nickel coin.
Which President Is On The Dime?
Franklin D. Roosevelt is on the United States ten-cent coin. Franklin D. Roosevelt served as the 32nd president from March 4, 1933 until April 12, 1945. Upon his death in 1945, Congress voted to put Roosevelt on the dime to honor his creation of the March of Dimes Foundation to combat polio. The denomination was first authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792.
Before Roosevelt was engraved onto the dime, there were other features:
- Draped Bust 1796–1807
- Capped Bust 1809–1837
- Seated Liberty 1837–1891
- Barber 1892–1916
- Winged Liberty Head (Mercury) 1916–1945
Which President Is On The Quarter?
George Washington is on the United States' twenty-five-cent coin. George Washington, perhaps the best known American in history, served this nation as it's first president from April 30, 1789 until March 4, 1797. Prior to his presidency, Washington was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. The quarter, produced since 1796, came to bear Washington's profile in 1924 when Congress voted to mint a Washington quarter to celebrate his 200th birthday.
Here is the breakdown of how the quarter looked before Washington was engraved on it:
- Draped Bust 1796–1807
- Capped Bust 1815–1838
- Seated Liberty 1838–1891
- Barber 1892–1916
- Standing Liberty 1916–1930
Which President Is On The Half Dollar Coin?
John F. Kennedy is on the United States fifty-cent coin. John F. Kennedy served as the 35th president of the United States from January 20, 1961 until his assassination by Lee Harvey Oswald as he rode in a motorcade in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. Upon his death, the U.S. Mint began working on a coin to commemorate him.
The first Kennedy half dollars made for distribution were proofs coined early in 1964 and were released to the public that March 24. Now one is able to purchase modern Kennedy coins, including the 50th anniversary 2014 Kennedy half-dollar, as well as other recent Kennedy coins. The 2014 Kennedy half-dollar coin is struck from 99.99% gold. These coins are not produced for mass circulation, and are only created in order to satisfy consumer and collector demand.
Which President Is On The One Dollar Coin?
Although no longer in circulation, Dwight D. Eisenhower was on the United States one-dollar coin. Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th president of the United States, served from January 20, 1953 until January 20, 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army during World War II and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. From 1971 to 1978, the U.S. Mint issued dollar coins designed by Chief Engraver Frank Gasparro with the obverse a portrait of President Dwight David Eisenhower and the reverse a representation of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Feel free to learn more about precious metals and valuable coins by checking out our other unique blog posts, including Is Copper A Precious Metal, Everything You Need To Know About The 1776 Continental Dollar & Why Is Palladium Worth.
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