April 14th 1865:

President Abraham Lincoln was shot by thespian coward John Wilkes Booth, and died the next morning. It wasn't until 1909, celebrating the 100th anniversary of his birth, that Honest Abe was immortalized on the penny, when his portrait replaced the Indian Head cent. (Did we leave them anything? Besides Casinos?)

So yes, this day in history relates to financial matters because Lincolns death landed him a primo penny portrait gig. Straight off the Indians back. Talk about big time. The penny is the most commonly printed form of currency in the United States. In fact, the U.S. Mint estimates that there are currently between $140 to $200 billion pennies in circulation. The Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005 required completed reversal designs by 2009 – four different coins have been minted depicting various scenes in Honest Abe's life.

However, with increasing inflation, the penny has become virtually worthless overtime, and there's great debate among genetically altered individuals as to whether they should stay or should they go...

The formerly useful “leave-a-penny, take-a-penny” trays located in gas stations and mini-marts have become fuller and fuller as fewer and fewer people chose to use the irrelevant practically valueless form of exchange.
History and economic expert at Wake Forest University, Robert Whaples argued that, “I's time to eliminate the penny,” and went on to say that the United States loses around $900 million a year just from producing and handling pennies. Certain groups argue that this would put the poverty stricken at an unfair advantage because they are believed to use cash more often.

Whaples also mention the various consumer costs associated with penny usage. First, using pennies in cash transactions wastes a lot of time which “adds up to about $300 million per year for the U.S. Economy.” Ultimately Whaples argues that its the average American's sentimental attachment to the United States' first authorized currency, despite overwhelming evidence that the benefits of keeping pennies in circulation are far outweighed by the costs. Emotions are great, except when they cost crippled economies millions of dollars unnecessarily.

No disrepect meant to the Abrahomey on the anniversary of his shooting, but just like Lincoln, the penny's about to be dead.

If you're incredibly bored and want to know 83 things you can do with a penny, then click here: http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2007/06/23/101568_83-things-you-can-do-with-a-penny.html