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

More episodes of History Loves Company

• All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Touching Tale of Saint Guinefort · June 12, 2026 · 8 min
• Not For "Prophet": The Nabis and the Prophets of Modern Art · June 5, 2026 · 10 min
• Asmara, Amore Mio: The Story of Italian Eritrea (Part Two) · May 29, 2026 · 7 min
• Asmara, Amore Mio: The Story of Italian Eritrea (Part One) · May 22, 2026 · 8 min
• Do You Hear the People Sing?: The Singing Revolution · May 8, 2026 · 8 min
• Sinner to Saint: The Wondrous Life of Milarepa · May 1, 2026 · 6 min