Achieving the dream of homeownership takes dedication and a mindset and commitment to save hard-earned dollars and cents for a down payment. Above all, it makes a lot of sense or should I say takes a lot of cents? You begin to build that nest egg with a few cents that after time can build into what it takes to make your dreams come true….a home just for you. We know it would take a lot of pennies to save for a downpayment on a home. Yesterday, in Springfield, Illinois, the newest version of the Lincoln penny was unveiled at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum where lines of people gathered to purchase, yes, you guessed it… rolls of pennies. For those interested youngsters 18 years and younger, a free penny was given to all.

An eager crowd of coin collectors who treasure the coins of today and yesteryear saw this day as an opportunity to be part of history in the making by purchasing some uncirculated coins to add to part of their collection or to save them for future generations.

The new penny unveiled is expected to remain in circulation for the next 50 years. According to the U.S. Mint the new Lincoln penny tail design “is emblematic of President Abraham Lincoln’s preservation of the United States as a single and united country, as required by Title III of Public Law 109-145, the Presidential $1 Coin Act of 2005. The 13 vertical stripes of the shield represent the states joined in one compact union to support the federal government, represented by the horizontal bar above.” See http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/lincolnredesign/index.cfm?flash=yes.

So eager homebuyers save your pennies, old and new! After time that dream of homeownership can become a reality. As we celebrate the 16th president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday today, you can start saving with a brand new penny too.  Every little bit counts.