Fugio-Cent

The Fugio cent was the first official coin of the United States of America, which was issued at the request of Congress in 1787. The Fugio cent also bears the nickname: Franklin Cent, Mind -your -business- cents, sun-dial cents.

History

On April 21, 1787 the United States Congress approved a design for a first official cent coin. Before there was already imprints of individual states. The copper coin, under the name Fugio cents later became known, was on the front above a sun on a sundial including casts its rays, the inscription read: Fugio (Latin, literally: " I flee ", he meant: " the time flees " ) together with the date 1787 Among the section:. Mind your business ( " Think of your job "). The back showed comprised of thirteen members chain symbolizing the thirteen member states of the former Union; in the middle of a circle, in the Scripture: We are one ( "We are one" ). Both mottoes are awarded Benjamin Franklin. The same design with sun and sundial was used even for the " Continental dollars " of 1776.

Since the adoption of the Constitution of the United States in 1789 show the gold and silver coins the official motto of the United States: e pluribus unum.