Reference: Penny, Pennyworth
Smith
In the New Testament "penny," either alone or in the compound "pennyworth," occurs as the rendering of the Roman denarius.
Mt 20:2; 22:10; Mr 6:37; 12:15; Lu 20:24; Joh 6:7; Re 6:6
The denarius was the chief Roman silver coin, and was worth about 15 to 17 cents.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And when he had agreed with the labourers at a denarius a day, he sent them into the vineyard.
So these servants going out into the roads, collected all, as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding feast was fully furnished with guests.
But he answering said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy the value of two hundred denarii, in loaves, and give them to eat?
shall we pay, or shall we not pay it? but he, perceiving their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a denarius, that I may see it.
Shew me a denarius. Whose image and inscription hath it? And they answering said, Caesar's.
Philip answered him, Two hundred denarii spent in bread would not procure a sufficiency for them, that every one of them might have a morsel.
And I heard a voice from amidst the four living beings saying, A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenixs of barley for a denarius; yet to the oil and the wine do no injury.