No Longer Making Cents: The Last US Penny Has Been Minted
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On November 12, 2025, the United States (US) Mint made its final penny at the Philadelphia facility, ending more than 230 years of production. This landmark moment closed an era that began with the first cent in 1793 and continued through the Lincoln cent in use today. The decision to halt production was driven primarily by cost. By 2024, each penny cost nearly four cents to make. This resulted in substantial annual losses for the Mint.
"Given the rapid modernization of the American wallet, the Department of the Treasury and President Trump no longer believe the continued production of the penny is fiscally responsible or necessary to meet the demands of the American public," explained US Treasurer, Brandon Beach.
The final pennies were stamped with an "Omega" symbol. As the last letter of the Greek alphabet, it signifies the end of production. Just 232 sets of "Omega" pennies were made — one for each year since production began in 1793. Each set includes a penny from both the Denver and Philadelphia Mints, along with a 24-karat gold penny. The final set also contains the canceled molds that were used to make these pennies. These sets will be auctioned on December 11, 2025. Each set is expected to sell for between $2 million and $5 million.
When first introduced, the penny was about the size of a modern quarter. It could buy everyday items like a loaf of bread. While that is no longer the case, some old pennies have become extremely valuable. For example, a handful of 1943 Lincoln cents, accidentally made of copper instead of steel, now sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Although new pennies will no longer be made, the coin’s legacy is firmly rooted in American life. From lucky pennies found on the street to phrases like "a penny saved is a penny earned," will live on in the nation's culture.
Also, the end of minting does not mean the penny will disappear. With more than 300 billion still in circulation — over a thousand for every American — it will continue to be used for many years to come!
Resources: Popsci.com, ABCnews.com, USmint.gov
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71 Comments
piper1716 daysIn generations to come people won't even know what a penny is!!!!
ilovehenrydsaf15 daysI disagree. I mean, unless they remove them from history books, too. Like.. We know about the fall of rome, so why wouldnt people know that pennies existed? Historians wouldn't let this slide.
looper19 dayslet's make a tribute to the penny! ALL HAIL THE PENNY!!
i_love_god24 daysThis is so sad these penny's were apart of our life we needed them!!!! WHY😭😭- ilovehenrydsaf12 daysWell, to be fair, it costed four pennies to make a single penny, so they were paying four times the price of the coin to make it. Even though its disappointing, its still an understandable choice of action.
dog8824 daysWell, it is cheaper to not make them
liam112229 daysawwww why
hyzoduhujelo30 daysThis is sooo sad )' . '(
summer_beachabout 1 monthI really think it wasn't a super bad desision since they cost so much to make. I love the gold pennie, that is super cool!- smartreaderabout 1 monthlearned something new.
- bilybage-175733938181about 1 monthI wish they had pennies
- ilovehenrydsaf29 daysThey still exist and there are a lot still, but they stopped making them. That's all.
dasimysyluwuabout 1 monthI use for school project in social studys
