Cents

The smallest denomination of currently-circulating United States coinage is the cent, commonly referred to as a "penny." First minted in 1793, it quickly became one of the first mass-produced coins made by the United States Mint. The cent has undergone numerous design changes since its introduction, the most notable of which was the size reduction in 1857.

The Large Cent was officially introduced in 1793. At the time, by law, coins were required to contain the face value equivalent of the base metals they contained. Since copper was a relatively inexpensive metal, the coin's large size was necessary. Consequentially, several changes to the design, weight and diameter were made from 1793 until 1857, when the smaller (and more popular) size cent we know today was introduced.

Small Cents (as we know them today) were first minted in 1856, although it was not until 1857 when the new smaller size became official and the larger-size cents were discontinued. The small cent is arguably the most collected coin, with the iconic Lincoln Wheat Cent serving as the "gateway series" that many numismatists use to begin their collections.