US Mint Strikes Final Penny, Ending 230-Year Production

Published 6 hours ago

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Above: U.S. one-cent coins displayed on Nov. 1, 2025. Image copyright: Luis Boza/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Spin

Narrative A

The penny costs 3.7 cents to make and wastes $179 million annually in taxpayer money. Most pennies disappear from circulation into jars and couch cushions, forcing constant expensive reproduction. Canada successfully eliminated theirs in 2012 — it's about time America followed suit.

Wake Forest News Northeastern Global News

Narrative B

Eliminating the penny actually costs taxpayers more money, not less. The Mint's overhead expenses remain fixed and get absorbed by other coins, while demand for expensive nickels nearly triples production costs. This accounting gimmick unfairly penalizes penny production and hurts consumers who pay with cash while ignoring the real problem.

American Thinker Americans for Common Cents