The first coin issued by the United States government in 1787 was the Fugio cent.
The coin was authorized under the Articles of Confederation and designed by Benjamin Franklin. Its name comes from the Latin word “fugio,” meaning “I flee,” which appears beside a sun shining on a sundial. The design also carries the motto “Mind Your Business.”
Fugio cents were made primarily of copper and circulated in the early United States. They predated the federal coinage system established by the Constitution and the Coinage Act of 1792, so they are distinct from later United States Mint issues.
Collectors sometimes confuse the Fugio cent with the Continental dollar, a proposed coin or pattern associated with 1776. The Continental dollar’s exact status and production history remain debated, while the Fugio cent is recognized as the first official United States coin.