The "Maine" Event: The Curious Story of the Maine Penny
About this episode
This episode explores the story of the Maine Penny and its implications for the discovery of North America.
Take a look in your pockets, dear listeners. Do you have any spare change? Perhaps a nickel, a dime, or a penny? Of these, the penny isn't worth that much. Just one cent in American currency, these copper coins bearing the likeness of our 16th president (Abraham Lincoln) are the most commonly found coins on the ground while out and about. And yet, it was a humble penny, albeit far older than the Lincoln Cent, that created quite a stir when it was unearthed at a Native American archaeological site in the state of Maine in the 1950s, one that brought up the biggest question since both the United States and Canada were founded: Who discovered North America? Tune in to this week's brief episode about the so-named "Maine Penny" to learn more!
People in this episode
Host: Chester Sakamoto
Topics covered
- Maine Penny
- archaeology
- Native American history
- currency
- discovery of North America
Keywords
- Maine Penny
- archaeology
- Abraham Lincoln
- Native American
- currency
- discovery
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Maine
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