All things must end sometime. So it is with the humble penny. The U.S. Mint has ceased to produce them, as of Wednesday, November 12, 2025. The humble one-cent coin that dates back to the nation's colonial era, per the AP, has now been relegated to the history books.
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Per the outlet, "The last pennies were struck at the mint in Philadelphia, where the country's smallest denomination coins have been produced since 1793...." This came about as a cost-saving move. "God bless America, and we're going to save the taxpayers $56 million," declared U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach.
President Donald Trump Wanted the Penny's Discontinuation
In February, Trump posted this. "For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!"
It actually cost more than the coin's face value to produce it. Each of the cent coins cost almost four of them to make, per the outlet. In addition to being relatively expensive, the penny became "obsolete." Loads of them are still out there, "but they are rarely essential for financial transactions in the 21st century economy," according to the AP.
Some Are Not Pleased That the Penny Will No Longer Be Made
Some people sentimentally view the coin as a nostalgia item or a keepsake representing bygone days. And there are retailers who reportedly feel that its demise was too hasty, allowing them little time to get ready for it. The AP states that some took measures to deal with the situation. They requested that customers have exact change or adjusted prices,
In October, Jeff Leonard of the National Association of Convenience Stores, said, "We have been advocating abolition of the penny for 30 years. But this is not the way we wanted it to go,"
People Mourned the Penny on Social Media
Many took to X to air their frustration that the penny is no more. Although some people were gleeful, others were irked or downcast.
"What are we going to do now? Round up on change??"
"Sooo what happens with all my penny jars I have?"
"...It's not about copper. It's about deleting the last artifact of worth you could still hold in your hand...."
"They'll start with the penny and then slowly go after the other coins and then the paper money. This is the start of a full-on digital currency system."
"Just gonna hold onto mine"
