CENT vs PENNY.. What is the correct term?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by paddyman98, Feb 22, 2015.

  1. ottotornesi

    ottotornesi Member

    Used to be 240 Pence not Pennies to the Pound
     
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  3. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    Cent is the "correct" term. Penny is a colloquialism. Either are acceptable.
     
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  4. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    I'm just happy the question I asked of CENT vs PENNY stirred up so much conversation! Everyone has given great comments. I should of made this thread a poll!... By the way. In Spanish when referring to a CENT we say "CENTAVO" and say penny as sort of incorrect slang word. And most or all Spanish countries use CENTAVO except Spain who use the EURO and not CENT!
    centavo01.jpg centavo02.jpg centavo03.jpg centavo04.jpg centavo05.jpg
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2015
  5. Clutchy

    Clutchy Well-Known Member

    My last girlfriend's name was Kyria. On her birth certificate, driver's license, SS card, bills, etc.. have that name. But I called her Sugarbutt.
     
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  6. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    Oh wait I'm wrong! The Euro from Spain does say CENT! Spain_money_coins.jpg
     
  7. rickmp

    rickmp Frequently flatulent.

    Five Cents is the "correct" term. Nickel is a colloquialism. Either are acceptable.
     
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  8. Ed23

    Ed23 Active Member

    Having grown thru my teen years in a British colony I discovered that a penny is actually 2 cents, and a half penny is one cent.
     
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  9. rickmp

    rickmp Frequently flatulent.

    Then what is this?
    one euro cent.jpg
     
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  10. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    Yes I was wrong and agree with you rickmp, look at my post #105.. Thanks!
     
  11. KoinJester

    KoinJester Well-Known Member

  12. Pere

    Pere Active Member

    We have "pennies," of course; this is the common/nickname for the one-cent coin. That's not really the issue here though.

    The bolded is what they are. The others are nicknames, for the first two, and equivalent values for the rest.

    Think of it this way: suppose we abolish the use of cents as a division of dollars, because of inflation, and cease the minting of "penny" and "nickel" coins. (If we take the 1858 abandonment of the half-cent as a benchmark, we are already overdue for this.) A dime won't be ten cents any more, because there won't be any cents in the reckoning of transactions; but a dime will still be a dime, the tenth part of a dollar, same as it ever was.
     
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  13. Pere

    Pere Active Member

    I bought a beer in Reno, used a Kennedy half. The man called it "fifty cent piece." So I shot him.
     
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  14. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    I suspect that the "cent" will remain as a unit of account long after the one-cent and five-cent coins go away.
     
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  15. Pere

    Pere Active Member

    Probably for some transitional period. But we have got along fine for a long time now without maintaining accounts in mills. Cents are less meaningful now (as either physical or notional units) than mills would have been as recently as 1946.
     
  16. Kasia

    Kasia Got my learning hat on

    Contrary to what some say, pennies and nickels do exist in the United States and they're minted by the United States Mint. :)
     
  17. ottotornesi

    ottotornesi Member

    In Germany and the United Kingdom on US military bases the only facility that uses Cents is the Post Office. Elsewhere when the bill comes to $1.01 or $1.02 you pay $1, at $1.03 and $1.04 you pay $1.05. Individual items are still priced properly. Only the total is either rounded up or down.The most you ever pay is 2 Cents or you gain 2 Cents. Works perfectly well. Even Burger King does it.
    Not sure how they do it in Italy, Japan or Korea.
     
  18. Hommer

    Hommer Curator of Semi Precious Coinage

    A good manager would set prices where they always come out on top of that one. 2 cents adds up a lot faster than you think. Tally up at the end of the year and you will see where you lost or gained a house payment.
     
  19. 19Lyds

    19Lyds Member of the United States of Confusion

    Hey I could always hope for a 3 Cent piece??
     
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  20. longnine009

    longnine009 Darwin has to eat too. Supporter

    Surely you mean It's.
     
  21. 19Lyds

    19Lyds Member of the United States of Confusion

    Oh wait! I was wrong!

    I agree with everybody!!
     
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