Joseph Coyne (New Earth)

The Penny Plunderer was a petty thief and enemy of Batman.

History

Joe Coyne was a man of modest beginnings. He earned pennies by peddling newspapers. He was later fired from his job for pitching pennies in the office and began a career in crime. He fumbled his first heist by robbing a cash register stuffed with pennies.

He later learned to embrace the symbol of his failure, and carved out a corner of the underworld by specializing in penny-themed crimes. His downfall was ironically caused by pennies, the symbol of his failure and he was eventually defeated by Batman. Coyne was arrested and sentenced to death.^[1]

Notes

• Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.
• The Giant Penny featured in the Penny Plunderer's first appearance became a constant feature of the Batcave.
• After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC changed the origin story of the Giant Penny on several occasions. In Batman #410, the Penny was said to be a memento from a fight against Two-Face, but later, Batman Chronicles #19 introduced Joseph Coyne to the New Earth continuity and retconned the Penny's origin to his appearance. Years later, the origin was once again changed in Two-Face: Year One #2 and this time, it became a souvenir from a confrontation between Batman, Two-Face and the Penny Plunderer, incorporating all elements from previous origins.

Related

• 5 Appearances of Joseph Coyne (New Earth)
• 7 Images featuring Joseph Coyne (New Earth)
• 2 Quotations by or about Joseph Coyne (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Joseph Coyne (New Earth)

External Links

• "Villains unlikely to turn up in future Batman sequels" at the A.V. Club

Footnotes

Batman Villain(s) This character, team or organization, has been primarily an enemy of the Batman, or the Batman Family as a whole. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Batman Villains."