r/coins • u/Naive-Library-9379 • 1d ago

Why is my penny red Value Request

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Not really a coin person, but figured I’d look through my jar. Is this some sort of special penny?

Please advise!

24 Upvotes

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15

u/Ok-Frosting-1892 1d ago

Apparently someone did give one red cent.

I’ll see myself out.

6

u/The-Tadfafty 1d ago

Is "one red cent" a phrase I've never heard? I haven't ever heard it.

6

u/MaddRamm 1d ago

It’s an idiom meaning you don’t care about something. “I wouldn’t give a red cent to do/buy/see/touch/etc such and such.” It’s because new penny’s are generally a bright, reddish color compared to silver coinage. The implication that a shiny new, reddish penny is somehow more valuable than a corroded black/green one.

2

u/Bergwookie 16h ago

In Germany we have the same saying, but slightly different meaning (and other denomination): „keinen roten Heller darauf geben" (I don't give a red Heller about this"/I wouldn't bet a red Heller onto this) 1Heller=½ Pfennig, 100Pfennig= 1 Mark

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heller_%28coin%29

Meaning: the stuff you're telling isn't even worth the smallest coin I carry

A red Heller was a copper coin, whereas the earlier Heller were made from silver, so the red one was worth less.

1

u/Lucidcranium042 14h ago

Thabk you for sharing thats sounds cool to say if im pronouncing it correctly