- 1792 – The Coinage Act is passed establishing the United States Mint.
- 1902 – “Electric Theatre”, the first full-time movie theater in the United States, opens in Los Angeles, California.
- 1912 – The ill fated RMS Titanic begins sea trials.
- 1956 – As the World Turns and The Edge of Night premiere on CBS-TV. The two soaps become the first daytime dramas to debut in the 30-minute format.
The Coinage Act authorized production of the following coins:
| Eagles | $10 | 247 4/8grain (16.0 g) pure or 270 grain (17.5 g) standard gold |
| Half Eagles | $5 | 123 6/8 grain (8.02 g) pure or 135 grain (8.75 g) standard gold |
| Quarter Eagles | $2.50 | 61 7/8 grain (4.01 g) pure or 67 4/8 grain (4.37 g) standard gold |
| Dollars or Units | $1 | 371 4/16 grain (24.1 g) pure or 416 grain (27.0 g) standard silver |
| Half Dollars | $0.50 | 185 10/16 grain (12.0 g) pure or 208 grain (13.5 g) standard silver |
| Quarter Dollars | $0.25 | 92 13/16 grain (6.01 g) pure or 104 grains (6.74 g) standard silver |
| Dismes | $0.10 | 37 2/16 grain (2.41 g) pure or 41 3/5 grain (2.70 g) standard silver |
| Half Dismes | $0.05 | 18 9/16 grain (1.20 g) pure or 20 4/5 grain (1.35 g) standard silver |
| Cents | $0.01 | 11 pennyweights (17.1 g) of copper |
| Half Cents | $0.005 | 5 1/2 pennyweights (8.55 g) of copper |
| Milles | $0.001 | 1.1 pennyweights (1.7 g) of copper |