this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2025
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Historical Artifacts

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Just a community for everyone to share artifacts, reconstructions, or replicas for the historically-inclined to admire!

Generally, an artifact should be 100+ years old, but this is a flexible requirement if you find something rare and suitably linked to an era of history, not a strict rule. Anything over 100 is fair game regardless of rarity.

Generally speaking, ruins should go to [email protected]

Illustrations of the past should go to [email protected]

Photos of the past should go to [email protected]

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US Pennies, 1928, 1961, and 2025 (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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I do believe that 1961 penny is MS-67 grade.

Sorry, although I do have backside photos of these pennies, I don't know how to share multiple photos on Lemmy.

Mods, I do hope this is an acceptable post. Please let me know if not..

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

The new pennies might look nice, but man they are shoddily built. I find pennies at the beach sometimes. If it's one from the 50s, it'll be in pretty good shape. If it's from the past 5 years or so, they seem to almost instantly dissolve. I think there's so little copper now they just don't last.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

US pennies here, after 1982 they have been made out of zinc, only plated with copper. 82 and before were almost 100% pure copper.

Plus they decided to stop stamping new pennies this year, which means 2025 USA pennies are gonna be a bit of a rare find.

Also, 2025 pennies look like shit, barely embossed and it looks like Lincoln's face is sunk in. Look at the '61 in comparison, very well defined and cleanly embossed.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

The penny being shoddy and sparely produced is a great analogy for America in 2025. If we can't get a humble coin right (one that was produced for more than a century) what hope do we have for anything more complex?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 hours ago

There's been calls to abolish pennies since the 1990s. I don't have a strong opinion on it personally, but there's okay arguments in favor of it.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 day ago

Mods, I do hope this is an acceptable post. Please let me know if not…

No worries, 1928 is a touch below the 100 year guideline, but it's a flexible number, not religious dogma. It's good to stay!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Those 3 pennies cost ~12 cents to make.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (2 children)

And stay in circulation for sixty years evidently. I’d say we got our money’s worth.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago

Oh I wasn't making a comment on the value. I just think it's funny that it costs more than a penny to make a penny.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago

I'm no expert coin collector, but I do call myself paying a little attention here and there.

Sure, the pennies might only be worth face value at places right now, they might be worth way more in years to come...

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Middle penny appears to me MS-67 grade, which basically means it's hardly been in circulation, and barely has any wear on it.

Hell, even the back side of the middle penny still has rigid steps on it. According to my research, it's worth more dollars than I would have expected.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

That's actually interesting. I probably have some low circulation coins in my coin jar. How much are they worth?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 hours ago

Well now I'm even more interested in pennies...

https://coins.thefuntimesguide.com/valuable-pennies/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

I am most definitely not an expert, I've just collected what's crossed my way over the ~~years~~ decades..

Though I'm no expert, I'm not coin stupid either.

You flick the coin fast enough, if it's a good coin, it'll ring..

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Who do so many people think that matters at all? It's not like they are consumable.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I didn't even state any opinion. I literally just said shared a fact I find entertaining. Chill out.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Apologies, that wasn't specifically aimed at you. Many people seem to use the manufacturing cost vs the face value of a penny as a reason to eliminate it. Those were the people that I was aiming the question at.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago

I mean I do think that given where inflation is at (and heading) that perhaps the penny and nickel don't need to really be made anymore, but I also know that many people love coins.

Realistically we could just stop buying washers at 10k a pop for our military and then we could afford to make coins forever, but that's a different conversation about government spending...

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Look at this richy mcrich with their three bitcoins.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

I also have a carton of two eggs that I had notarized for $10 each. The eggs have since expired, but I still have the carton.

The next time I lay eggs, I'll refill the carton.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 12 hours ago

That's like printing money. Powell should be impressed.