Giving a talk on the Lincoln Cent to Cubs Scouts

While I was over at my friends house today watching the NASCAR race. He said, "I forgot to tell you, but you are giving a talk on Lincoln and the penny on Wednesday, to Connor's Cub Scout Pack." I replied, "I am."

Now I have to prepare 5 minute talk on A. Lincoln and the Lincoln cent. There are 11 kids in the pack all being either 6 or 7 years old.

His son collects Lincoln cents and statehood quarters. I got him the Whitman folders a few months ago. He searches his Dad's change and I give him some wheaties everytime I see him.

Talking about President Lincoln will be easy as the pack is in Chicago and Lincoln is from Illinois (We have a bigger claim on him than Kentucky.) Hopefully, I can get a few of the kids interestred in collecting coins and not bore them to death. So, I need to hold their attention for 5 minutes, the hard part is that this is also ice cream night and they get the ice cream when I finish.

Any tips from the forum would be greatly appreciated. One is why was the wheat design choosen for the reverse.

Good thing I have the Whitman Red Book on Lincoln Cents.

So, tonight I am putting together 11 packets of one Wheat cent and one Memorial cent these I will give to the kids. Also I will be looking on the internet.

I will let the forum know how it went.

Thanks for the help.

 

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Don't forget to tell scouts he was a Republican.

 

Lincoln Cent info

These sites should be able to give you plenty of material:

http://www.coppercoins.com/

http://www.lincolncentresource.com/

Good luck! I hope your able to hold their interest over the ice cream. I hope this helps. Let us know how it goes.

 

Tell the kids that during WWII copper was in short supply because of the war and cents were made from steel in 1943.

And you should teach them they are called "cents", not "pennies". (It's easier to teach them the right term while they are young.)

 

How much are those Whitman folders in your area?

I bet if you gave out those wheaties and memorials along with a folder, we'd have 11 new collectors for sure.

Might be a little more then you're willing to spend, but either way, you're a good man for donating your time.

 

Good point - add a '43 steel cent to your hand outs and the scouts will have a short type set!

 

lincoln was born in kentucky. which makes him ours.

 

I was thinking about giving out steel cents, but I only have 5 extras. I agree the steel cent should be in the packet. Off to the coin shop tomorrow.

The Whitman folder idea is a good suggestion. I may have a raffle for one folder.

By the way the kids will get a patch after my talk.

 

Wow! It only takes listening some guy talk for 5 minutes to earn a patch nowadays? It seems like it took a lot longer when I was in Cub Scouts. I guess inflation is to blame.

 

Yeah Lincoln lived in Indiana too but Illinois is "The Land of Lincoln"

That aside if they are Cubs Scouts that may explain the lack or a World Series for 100 years. Sorry had to say that.

Now I'll get serious. I like the idea of giving the Steel Cents. If you don't have enough go out and buy some I'd chip in a few bucks to defray the cost cuz it's really cool.
Holding the attention span of 5 and 6 year olds is tough. Hell, hard to hold mine and I'm 45. Since these kids have seen a lot of Memorials tell them what the reverse is about.

Tell them what was around BEFORE Lincolns. Indians, Flying Eagle and large cens but stick to the Lincoln theme.

Good luck man.

Ain't gonna be easy.

clembo

 

Read the Book "Lincoln's Sword" fantastic info on Honest Abe!!
Tell them something about the Man as well. the Man was Greater than a coin will ever be!

RickieB

 

There is a short biography of Lincoln on the official White House website. Here's the specific link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/al16.html

Note that it's dot GOV not dot COM!

I did a Lincoln display for the local coin show on behalf of the coin club. Thalia Elizabeth loaned me her two cent piece and I put it in as a draw. "Put your two cents in!" Kids at the show who'd never seen one found it fascinating. Since the first ones were minted in 1864 I asked the question, "Is it possible that Lincoln held this very coin?"

 

Get lost

Don't forget to make it fun for the guys as well---if they are 6-7 then they aren't going to want to sit and listen to alot of big words, and such. If you have a laptop put a slideshow of photos on it and start it with you start talking....flipping through photos of errors and normal coins.....

Speedy

 

Make sure you tell them that in 1909 there were Lots of people alive who knew Abe Lincoln personally, and that this coin had to circulate in the South, which was still somewhat shaken by having been defeated in the war. Lots of old confederate veterans had to use this coin in their daily commerce....and were not to happy with it. the last confederate veteran, Walter Williams of Texas, passed away in 1959, the same year as the memorial reverse was introduced.

 

which is not the Republican party of today.

if i were giving a talk to 6-7 yr olds, i would give a quick run down of who Lincoln was and then give each a very new, shiny cent and ask them to tell you what is on the coin. they might be able to see the VDB and the statue on the reverse. i'd ask them what they thought it was made of and i'd also make sure to have a D mint mark in there was well.

-steve

 

back off
why would he move from an area he wanted to be remembered from?
that's right, he is IL's

 

The last I heard, he move to DC. I guess that means he is DC's.

 

bah always a twist huh

 

Not sure of the age group but I would strongly suggest not to get to borring with excessive details. I've taught Jr. College and even at that age, kids get bored easily. Excessive statistics are the best way to make them sleepy and loose interest.
My suggestions are to first start by telling them how long that coin has been being produced by our country. Then you might want to mention the different places they are made. You could simply point out some of the features on the coin such as the location of the date, Mint mark and why on some no Mint mark, the coins size compared to a Dime, Nickel, etc. Mention the 100th anniversary coming up for that coin. Why they call the older ones Wheat Cents, What the building on the back is, did they all have the same writting on them and naturally why some are heavier than others.
If you start describing the metalurical contents, differences in grades, you may well have to wake them up after your done.

 

Some great ideas guys.

FYI.. Lincoln was planning on moving back to Ill, but Mary said no, he took her to the opera to try and convince her. Now you know the rest of the story.. jk of course..