The two-cent piece was produced by the U.S. Mint for circulation from 1864 to 1872 and for collectors in 1873. It was designed by James B. Longacre. The economic turmoil of the American Civil War caused government-issued coins, even the non-silver Indian Head cent, to vanish from circulation, hoarded by the public. One means of filling this gap was private token issues, often made of bronze. The cent at that time was struck of a copper-nickel alloy. The piece was difficult for the Philadelphia Mint to strike, and Mint officials, as well as the annual Assay Commission, recommended the coin's replacement. Despite opposition from those wishing to keep the metal nickel in the coinage, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1864, authorizing bronze cents and two-cent pieces. Although initially popular in the absence of other federal coinage, the two-cent piece's place in circulation was later usurped by the three-cent piece and the nickel. There were decreasing mintages each year, and it was abolished by the Mint Act of 1873. Large quantities were redeemed by the government and melted. Nevertheless, two-cent pieces remain inexpensive by the standards of 19th-century American coinage.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-cent_piece

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1500:

Portuguese explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral and his crew landed in present day Brazil and claimed the land for Portugal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_%C3%81lvares_Cabral

1889:

Over 50,000 people rushed to claim a piece of the available two million acres (8,000 km2) in the Unassigned Lands, the present-day U.S. state of Oklahoma, entirely founding the brand-new Oklahoma City. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_Run_of_1889

1911:

Tsinghua University ("The Old Gate" pictured), one of the leading universities in mainland China, was founded, funded by an unexpected surplus in indemnities paid by the Qing Dynasty to the United States as a result of the Boxer Rebellion. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsinghua_University

1969:

British yachtsman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston won the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race to complete the first solo non-stop circumnavigation of the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunday_Times_Golden_Globe_Race

2004:

Flammable cargo exploded at Yongcheon Station in Ryongchon, North Korea, killing 160 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryongchon_disaster

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

crosswordese: The jargon of crossword puzzle answers, classically consisting of rare, archaic, or dialectal words. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/crosswordese

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

 Enlightenment is man’s leaving his self-caused immaturity. Immaturity is the incapacity to use one's intelligence without the guidance of another. Such immaturity is self-caused if it is not caused by lack of intelligence, but by lack of determination and courage to use one's intelligence without being guided by another. Sapere Aude! Have the courage to use your own intelligence! is therefore the motto of the enlightenment.   --Immanuel Kant https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Immanuel_Kant