It is strange to justify the use and production of a two-cent coin, especially because it does not fit into the classic decimal system established by the United States nearly 100 years earlier. Regardless, it was not uncommon for Congress and the mint to try several different denominations during the Civil war. Their reasoning grew from the public’s desperation for any sort of coinage during the shortage, mostly thanks to those who hoarded coins before the war, thus the proposal passed. However, as soon as the war ended it was clear to see that this coin was unimportant because the 1866 mintage numbers were significantly lower than previous years and the number decreased from there. Though not useful this made history as one of the first to reference a deity with the phrase “In God We Trust,” which was approved for gold and silver coins in 1866 and can still be seen on our coins today.
Presumably, as the year after the end of the Civil War, one would think the United States was back on track in 1866, this was not the case however. The entire union struggled to piece back its broken bond while attempts to ratify legislation to avoid another massive succession failed time and time again. Furthermore, while slavery was technically abolished, many could not accept people of color as free and equal even after the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was passed, and as a result the Ku Klux Klan formed. Meanwhile, 1866 Philadelphia, the only place these two-cents were minted, experienced a whole new set of challenges as fires devastated the city and Cholera peaked to new heights that same year.