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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Clinker, post: 1665367, member: 6229&quot;]The Ben Franklin cent otherwise known as the 1787 <i>Fugio Cent </i>was the first coin authorized by the United States of America to be struck.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In the era these coins were struck people called them the Franklin cent because Franklin is credited with suggesting the legends on the coin and the reverse design of the chain with thirteen links. Each link with one of the original thirteen colonies stamped on it.</p><p><i>Fugio</i>means <i>time flies</i> so Franklin suggested the words <i>MIND YOUR BUSINESS </i>be added to the obverse of the coin below the sun dial. The dies for these coins were made by Abel Buell, a New Haven resident.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Be it known that the new colonies contracted with France for the gun powder needed for the Colonial Army and Navy to defend the new nation. Now picture this. The gun powder was shipped in kegs whose staves were held in place with copper bands. There were no steel bands back then, because the bessemer process of making steel did not exist.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>They used copper instead of iron, because iron bands could brush one another in shipment or handling and accidently cause a spark that would ignite the powder. As the powder was used up, the copper bands were stored at the armories and military depots.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The early <i>Fugio Cents</i> were the first American coins to be struck on blanks made from military stores. The copper bands were melted and used by Mr. Jarvis at his Broom and Platt Store in New Haven.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Restrikes of the coins are thought to be made from dies created in the 1860s.. These were made of copper purchased for the restrikes and not from copper bands from powder kegs.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Clinker[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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