CENT vs PENNY.. What is the correct term?

They made Presidential and Susan B. Anthony dollars. I would say they can be wrong.

 

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I'd go along with either of those before I jump on the zincoln train.

 

It’s a penny!!!!!!

 

Huge difference between cent, and penny

This is a red "cent"...




This is a red "Penny" not a red "cent".







Notice the difference ???

 

Necro-threads are fun.

 

I'd never really thought of a high-relief Penny before.

 

Pennies, cents. They are both used. But yeah, there is no such thing as a coin called a 'red penny' and there is a 'red cent' and the term 'not one cent' (not 'not one penny) and you put in your 'two cents'. And it is always 'dollars and cents', not 'dollars and pennies'. Yet on the other hand, you have pennies, nickels and dimes. And it is pennies you throw in a wishing well, a penny for your thoughts.

So......

 

Yes.

The original question was "What is the CORRECT term". The CORRECT term is cent. Nowhere in US law will you find anyplace where the mint was authorized to strike a US "penny". Common usage is not pertinent to the original question.

 

The legislative term is cent. So, if you're in the mood to pick nits (and whatever would a nit-picker be doing on a coin collecting forum?), you could argue that "cent" is "correct".

On the other hand, you could argue that common usage determines correct usage. In other words, if "penny" is much more common than "cent" in a given context, then "penny" is correct.

If you want to argue that people (including the ones who produce the doggone things) are wrong to use the most common terminology -- well, you've clearly come to the right place.

 

Correct -
adjective

1. free from error; in accordance with fact or truth.

Therefore both Cent and Penny are 'Correct' as they are in accordance with fact or truth and both terms are free from error (due to common usage)

 

This explains the acceptance of ebonics as proper english.

Or if you are on the expressway and the speed limit is 65, but everyone is doing 80, then 80 IS the speed limit. Try using that argument with the cop.

 

Don't even try discussing semantics with a cop. But in this topic we can.

Just an example from around here: You will never see a euro coin that says "euros" or "cents", and yet some people use those terms in colloquial language. (Mostly people who at the same time would never say "yens" for example.) So are the plural-s-people wrong? I don't think so.

And referring to US coinage, the use of "penny" makes sense - "I have 12 pennies" (i.e. twelve 1 cent coins) is different from "I have twelve cents" (the amount of .12). But I am sure all this has been said before.

Christian

 

What’s wrong with people around here? She only got 3 likes.

 

Nah, that Photoshop job got only three Likes.

 

It's evidence that most members don't ...."like Pennys"

 

Oh, come on.

If you're concerned about the preservation of "proper English", please mind your capitalization, and then go back and review some published writings and (especially) political speech transcripts from the late 19th and early 20th century. Compare them to a speech from any contemporary American leader, and think long and hard before pointing the finger of blame at any particular ethnic group.