Zihad Amin AP Language and Composition/P2 Mrs. Spencer August 29, 2013 Keep the Penny The penny was created in 1909, and has been the most ever-lasting memorial to Lincoln, besides the Lincoln Memorial. Not very long ago the penny was re-modeled to honor the life and times of Abraham Lincoln. According to Michael Bishop, the executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, which, as you can tell by the name, was created in honor of Lincoln’s 200th birthday, “the penny perhaps the most visible and tangible reminder of Lincoln’s significance in American history” (Source F). According to William Safire, “two-thirds of them immediately drop out of circulation” (Source C), however, this is not true, as only 5.6% disappear. And finally a poll conducted online, it was shown that more people are in support of keeping the penny. In 2009, the penny was re-modeled in honor of Lincoln’s 200th birthday. The pennies four major events of his life, his early life in Kentucky, his pre-adulthood in Indiana, his careers in Illinois, and finally his presidency in Washington. While the back side will change the “head” of the penny will remain the same portrait as its introduction in 1909. The Lincoln Memorial, his face on Mount Rushmore, and the penny are the only tangible objects dedicated to him. And let’s face it, not everyone has the ability to visit Washington or Mount Rushmore, so the penny, essentially, is something has in honor of him. When something is so rich in history, why would we want to get rid of it?
People may argue that the penny is worthless. For example, William Safire states, “Twothirds of them immediately drop out of circulation” (Source C), but what is he basing this on, his own opinion. While on the other hand, “A 2002 study based on Federal Reserve Data indicated that the annual rate pennies disappear is surprisingly similar to all other forms of our coinage— about 5.6 percent” (Source D), which completely falsifies Safire’s claim. It may be true that it takes a dime to buy what the penny did back in the 50s, but you can’t fault the penny on that. “The fact is the penny remains popular in public and important in our pricing system” (Source D). Everyone can say what they want, but we want results. In order to get these results you have to DO, not SAY. And that’s exactly what the Harris Poll did. It was conducted online in the US between June 10 and 16, in 2004. It was taken by 2,136 adults who were the age of 18 and over. The results are right there in black and white. No matter the income, more people were opposed to abolishing the penny. More than half of each income group were in favor of keeping the penny, at 58%, compared to an average 24.5 on average, saying to abolish them. The penny is not pointless and should be kept as a tradition in American history.