Penny Napoleonic Wars prompted the use of base metals in 1797. Despite the decimalization of currencies in the United States and, later, throughout the British Commonwealth, the name remains in informal use. No penny is currently formally subdivided, although farthings (¼ d.), halfpennies, and half cents have previously been minted and the mill (1/10¢) remains in use as a unit of account in some contexts. "Penny" is first attested in a 1394 Scots text, a variant of Old English ', a development of numerous variations including ', ', and '. The etymology of the term "penny" is uncertain, although cognates are
Take a penny, leave a penny Take a penny, leave a penny Take a penny, leave a penny (sometimes Give a penny, take a penny, penny tray, or penny pool) refers to a type of tray, dish or cup meant for convenience in cash transactions. They are often found in the United States in gas stations, convenience stores, and other small stores, and were similarly common in Canada before the penny went out of circulation in 2013. The small cup or tray near a cash register is designated as a place for people to place pennies they receive as change if they do not want them.