Bill
5-1-97
Essay
Final draft
Coins
Coins are so often overlooked, left under couch coushins, overflowing in pockets and dwars, and developing unimaginable amounts of rust as they lay on the bottom of a swimming pool. When people think of coins the images of the pennies, nickles,dimes, and quarters that they have becomed accustomed to over the years. Most people would not have the images of half pennies and large cents jump into their minds. Little do they know that many things can be learned through coins.
When America was not yet a free country, the British had not let them print their own paper money. The colonies had to rely on coins as their main currency. After the American Revelution, Thomas Jefferson, who strongly supported paper money, suspended the minting of coins. The coins were reastablished and have remained as a large part of American currency ever since.
During World War II, several emergency coins were established. The most famous of these is the steel penny. Since copper was needed during the war, the 1943 pennies were minted out of steel. The coin was never used again. During the next two years, shells from the battle feilds were melted down and minted as pennies.
Coins also can influence large numbers of people. The standing liberty quarterhad exposed one of the mythical Miss Liberty's breasts.Many people were outraged saying that a national icon should not have its image reduced to a mere stripper. The coin was quickly replaced and never used again.
Coins, although may be often overlooked,
play an enormous role in our country. The coins that many people think play
a minute role in our history have been a way to record history as it happens.
From the World Wars to the beginning of our free country.
To
coin chronology
To Morgan Mint