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The design was lacking as well. The first pennies featured an image of Liberty on the “heads” side and a chain with 15 links on the “tails” side. The image of Liberty was criticized for her expression—“in a fright,” according to the Mint—and the chain, whose links were meant to symbolize the union of America’s 15 states, was criticized for conjuring an association with slavery. The penny was soon redesigned with a less fearful Liberty and a wreath where the chain had been.

In 1857, facing rising copper prices, Congress made the penny smaller and changed its composition from nearly 100 percent copper to an alloy of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel. In 1909 the penny was given another major update. Pres. Abraham Lincoln replaced Liberty on the heads side, making the 16th president the first chief executive to grace an American coin.