What year was the first penny made?

riotgrrl

"The silver penny was introduced to England around the year 785 by King Offa of Mercia, in the English midlands." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English/British_coin_Penny Mar 16 04, 2:20 PM

Hamlet.

In the US it was 1787. The one-cent coin, commonly known as the penny, was the first currency of any type authorized by the United States. The design for the first one-cent coin was suggested by Benjamin Franklin. The word "penny" is derived from the British coin pence. Over 300 billion one-cent coins, with 11 different designs, have been minted since 1787. The first one-cent coin was struck in 1787 by a private mint. This coin, known as the Fugio cent, was 100% copper and this composition would continue until the mid-1800s. Paul Revere, a noted blacksmith, supplied some of the copper for one-cent coins minted during the early 1790's. http://www.pennies.org/history/intro.html [Edited to add supporting reference - McG] Mar 16 04, 2:26 PM