(Copyright story reprinted by permission from the June 28, 1999, issue of Coin World)

Project to celebrate Lincoln
Ohio man aims to build statue of Lincoln with 10 million cents donated by schoolchildren

Craig Harmon is hoping that his Lincoln cents project is something to build on. Harmon, of Galion, Ohio, is the director of The Lincoln Highway Comes of Age, a Nationwide Millenium Project. He hopes to build a statue of Abraham Lincoln out of Lincoln coins, two cents at a time.For their "two cents' worth," donors will get to enter their name in "The Book of Lincoln." Harmon's goal is 10 million cents, which translates into 5 million names in the book. The $100,000 worth of cents, 30 tons, Harmon estimates, will be built into a statue that replicates the Lincoln Memorial Washington in D.C., only on a much smaller scale.The "penny statue" will occupy an area about 7 feet in all dimensions, he said. "We don't know if it will be solid or hollow yet," Harmon said. He said that Batelle Institute in Columbus has agreed to publicize his request for engineering help to come up with a template for the statue. Schoolchildren have already donated an estimated 1,000 coins - and had their names listed in the book since the project began May 18. Harmon hopes the first really big push will come June 12, during "Lincoln Highway Days" festivities in Galion. This year marks the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Lincoln Highway, America's first transcontinental road.