What has happened to the penny?

0

Oh, sure, one-cent pieces still exist but the truth is you need a bunch of them to buy anything in America these days.

Pennies, unfortunately, have gone the way of pegged pants, ducktail haircuts and scads of other things that once were part of the American scene.

Johnny Burke and Arthur Johnston composed the song

in 1936.

It immediately became a hit song sung by lots of vocalists including Bing Crosby.

Since then the penny has all but disappeared from the face of the earth.

As a coin, it was once extremely popular.

It was the namesake of many things.

Penny candy was one of them

Kids and dentists loved penny candy.

Parents, on the other hand, feared it would give their children cavities which it did.

At one time a penny was considered lucky charm if you found one on the sidewalk.

Before long, the penny became something of an American symbol.

People named their daughters Penny.

That’s special because hardly any mothrs and fathers named their daughters Nickel, Quarter or Dime.

And, of course, there’s a card game called penny ante and that familiar American saying “A penny for your thoughts.”

Last but not least many of us know some of the words to the once- popular song and many of us have probably shopped at a department store named Penny’s.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2015/08/web1_BatzB1.jpg
Senior Moments

By Bob Batz

Bob Batz is a retired journalist and area resident and guest columnist. Contact Bob at [email protected].

No posts to display