Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-11-11
THERE'S NO WAY TO
TRACE LOST PENNIES
Where the 100, 900, 600 Turned
Out Each Year Go a
Puzzle.

New York-What becomes OF the vast
volume OF copper pennies that are
turned out each year bv the govern
ment? They are never called in and
redeemed like some kinds Of currency
and coins, but they seem to disappear
as fast as they are stamped M put
in circulation.
It is unusual Il the date on n on
the pennies in a mans purse at the
end Of the day is over 10 years back.
yet the Philadelphia mint, which coins
all the copper pennies, SENDS OUT IN
some years as many as 81, 900, 900 worth
Of them to the trade centers-10O ,OOO.-
900 1-cent pieces. II laid fiat, edge to
edge, in a row they would reach more
than 1000 miles. And still there are
some sections of the country where the
penny Is little known.
In many of the mountain districts
Of h south the York shilling" ia
cents, is still spoken Of in trade, bun
no one ever hears the 1-cent piece
mentioned. In many towns in the
south and west the tradesmen offer
nothing for a penny, a scent purchase
is the smallest that can be made. But
Of late there have been more demands
for pennies from the west, and the
government experts have declared that
this is a sign of increased frugality.
Chewing Gum Habit.
In the east, the chief use Of the
penny, outside OF filling the childs
bank and buying the morning paper, is
for the purchase of chewing gum and
1-cent candies. This is a habit which
Is increasing in New York city every
year. All the railroad and ferry term
finals and the subway and elevated sta
tons are lined with penny-in-the-slot
machines, n they reap an enormous
harvest every day. So accustomed has
the public become to their use that
many Of the more important stations
and waiting rooms have as many as
q dozen of these machines, which
have to be emptied at least once a
week.
Many a staid citizen has found him
self asking the ticket seller in the
subway or elevated for pennies in
change for his dime in order to pat
rOniZe one of the machines. Sometimes
they do not work, and he inwardly
sWearS that he will give up the habit,
but next day he is pretty sure to be at
it again If he has a penny in his
pocket.
The increase in the number of PEN
ny-in-the-slOt monographs and nov
Ing picture machines In New York in
the last few years shows another way
to which the public has taken to get
rid Of its pennies. Many of these ma
chimes are now appearing in ferry
terminals and railroad stations, and
"emporiums' are now open in MAN.
Of the important streets Of this city
in which there are scores of these ma
chimes, with young women carrying
rolls Of pennies passing to n fro tc
make Il required change.
Stamps and Post Cards.
Uncle Sam takes in many pennies
for stamps and post cards, n many
Of them flow into the contribution box
in the churches and religious societies.
But all these ways in which the pen
ny is put to use does not explain where
they eventually go or what makes
them disappear in such vast quantities
every year. There have been long and
learned discussions over where all the
pins go to. hut the nanny problem 10
one which seems even more battling.
One does not throw pennies about as
he or she does pins. and despite the
admonition to "see a pin pick it up"
many are passed by where steps viii
be taken to gather In a penny lying
about. Even the government coinage
experts do not give a satisfactory an
swer to the problem. They give the
following reasons for the disappear
ance of the Coppers-falling through
cracks into holes and dark places: used
In various arts and crafts; locked up
for years in children's banks, ETC., but
these explanations do not seem salts
factory when the number Of new pen-
MES coined each year is taken into con-
sideration.'