Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-08-25
The Lincoln Penny

he new Lincoln penny, WhlCn
has been promised by the govern
ment treasury officials, is out. A
few have already reached this city
but they came from private parties
who have friends here. We do not
think any of the coins have yet
reached our postofices or banks
for circulation.
The National Tribune Of last
week has this interesting article
concerning the new coin;
The new Lincoln penny is out,
and it is a beauty. 1t is of bright
copper, and bears a dignihed and
fine likeness of Abraham Lincoln.
Above his head is the motto SIN
God We Trust" and if those simple
words ever belonged to any one
man before another they certainly
belonged to Abraham Lincoln.
His trust in an almighty power was
almost childlike. Over the right
shoulder is the word Liberty" and
in front of Lincoln is the date 1000.
On the opposite side of the coin
are two sheaves of wheat, with the
words, "One cent. United States of
America" In the center and on
the upper edge the motto ''E Pluri-
bus Unum" is placed. 1t is entirely
unique for a cheap coin. 1t is the
first change that has been made in
our penny in IS years, the old In
dian head having served for that
length of time. The specific law
does not permit a change oftener
than once in quarter of a century.
The new coin had the approval of
President Roosevelt.
On the first day that the new
Lincoln cent appeared (last Tues
day. the rumor was firm that they
were to be recalled because of the
fact that the initials of the artist
who made the design, Victor D.
Brunner, were put on the coin.
The initials are beneath the wheat
sheaves on the reverse side. 1t was
thought at first that this was an
error, but such is not the case.
The initials were placed on the
coin in accordance with the estab-
lished plan of the Mint to give
credit to the artists who design our
coins. On the silver and gold
coins of the latter issues the initials
of the artists who designed them
are somewhere near the coin edges,
but in microscopic letters. As a
consequence of this false rumor
about 5000 people were in line at
the Treasury cash room on We'd
nesday from about II o'clock until
closing time, at ?, to get some OF
the new coins. Each person was
limited to 50 coins, and $4,000, or
$500 worth, were dealt out.
While the coins will not be re-
called, Secretary MacVeagh decid.
ed that the initials of the artist are
too prominent, and that the dies
must be changed so as to reduce
the size of the inscription. He
gave orders to cease coming the
pennies until the dies are changed
This will be done.
He subsequently said that the
only objection to the initials were
that they were too prominent and
gave the coin an advertising, com.
mercial aspect which he did not
approve. There was no objection
he said, to the initial "B" appear
ing somewhere on the coin, but he
would not permit the three initials
to continue in raised letters.
Secretary MacVeagh's order will
soon put the pennies that have been
ninted at a small premium, it is
thought, although probably a mil.
lion of them have already been
, placed with subtreasuries through.
out the country and issued to an
eager public.
The Treasury officials say they
have never before seen such a rush
for new money, although each new
issue of coins of any kind create:
a little furry at the beginning o
their distribution. The newsboy,
and street gamins reaped quite q
harvest by selling the pennies tc
people on the street at from three
for FIVE cents to FIVE cents each.