Two Cent Pieces: Introducing America's Motto

2 Cent Piece Obverse and Reverse

If you look at any piece of circulating currency in the United States, you can find the motto "In God We Trust". We haven't always had that motto, in fact it wasn't on any currency until 1864. That was also the year that a new, short-lived denomination was issued. Those coins were two cent pieces, a bronze coin that was significantly larger than the newly circulating small cents of the day.

The denomination was approved as part of the same legislation that changed the copper nickel small cent to bronze partway through 1864. I hope you enjoy this history and description of the 10-year series of two cent pieces.

Was the Coin Actually Needed?

This new denomination was certainly different, so why would anyone want it? The Civil War was well underway and there was a significant shortage of circulating currency. A nation at war - especially at war with itself - can quickly drain its reserves of silver and gold from citizens worrying about future shortages and stockpiling coins themselves. That was very much the case with the US Civil War.

One year prior to the issuance of the 2 cent piece, merchants across the northern states broadly issued tokens worth 1 cent at their stores to help with the circulation problem. That broad action showed how impactful the shortage really was. The new coin was worth two cents and thus represented a significant increase in availability of low value coins to help with the shortage of small cents.

Civil War Tokens to 2 Cent Pieces

The two-cent type was authorized by the Act of April 22, 1864 with the short statement "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That... there shall be from time to time struck and coined at the mint a two-cent piece, of the same composition... of said cent..." [Reference Thirty-Eighth Congress Session I, Chapter LXVI].

Introducing America's Motto

2 Cent Piece with Highlighted Motto

America was at war in the early 1860s to provide the backdrop for the desire for a new motto. In some well-publicized letters available in full text from the US Treasury Department, Reverend M. R. Watkinson from Ridleyville, PA wrote to Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase "What if our Republic were not shattered beyond reconstruction? Would not the antiquaries of succeeding centuries rightly reason from our past that we were a heathen nation?"

In response to this, Secretary Chase tasked the Director of the Mint at Philadelphia in 1861 to establish a "device" to be added to all coins. Through combined effort, they arrived at "In God We Trust" which was submitted to Congress in 1863. Congress passed the Act of April 22, 1864 which authorized (among other things) the motto previously discussed.

This summarized history tells where the motto came from, incorporation into every denomination is another very interesting story which is best left for deeper focus or research from the US Treasury.

Motto on Modern Coins and Currency

Coin Popularity and Discontinuing

Two cent pieces filled a need for circulating coinage through the war. However, filling a need didn't make them particularly popular. By comparing circulating coin mintage numbers after the end of the Civil War in 1865, production dropped 80% from an average of about 15 million per year in the war to about 3 million per year after that. The numbers later dropped significantly each year from 1869 to 1873 when there were no circulating coins minted, just proof issues in that final year.

Just as the coinage was authorized by a simple sentence, it was removed from circulation with similar ease "... That the minor coins of the United States shall be a five-cent piece, a three-cent piece, and a one-cent piece..." [Reference Forty-Second Congress Session III, Chapter CXXXI].

In context of the discussion today, this was a big impact. That same legislation also had a broader impact on the economy by changing how miners could sell silver and the standard weight of silver coins.

How I Collect the Type

I'll start by telling you that I am a huge fan of odd-type coins so it shouldn't be a surprise that I always keep my eyes open at coin shows, coins shops, and online for nice lots that include these pieces. I exclusively collect these in circulated condition because wear on these coins - coins that were made for use in this country's time of need - represents their purpose to me.

I have been building a date set which is still missing the key coins but I'm really enjoying the hunt. That's what its all about to me: enjoying my coins!

Coin Album with Partial Set

The denomination has 4 rarer coins: the small date variety that was made first in 1864, The double die obverse error in 1867, the low-mintage 1872 and the proof-only 1873. I'm still keeping an eye out for all of these!

Adding This Strange Coin to Your Collection

It might be a stretch to call this coin strange since the obverse is reminiscent of the nickel of the day and the reverse is similar to the cent. However, the denomination is unique enough to put it into the different category. That's also the reason that its a fun coin to have - one likely doesn't know the coin ever existed unless they're a collector.

The two cent piece is a reminder of the turmoil and need of the country when it was less than 100 years old. It represents the beginning of our motto which emerged from a desire to show unity and reverence. The mark of a country working through an economic struggle. It really represents struggle and success through hard times.

For the knowledge enthusiast, its also an interesting set of legislation (listed above as references) that authorized and 10 years later removed the coin from circulation.

If you choose to collect one example as a talking piece or complete a full set like I'm hoping to one day, you should at least consider this piece for your collection. Most dates are readily available for a modest price in circulated condition. If you're a collector of mint state specimens, they are at the lower end of price compared to the more popular type coins. Either way, it is a great piece to add.