By Jason Sethre
Publisher
Fillmore County Journal
jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Today’s editorial cartoon from Joe Heller references the loss of the penny, which almost seems unreal to me. But, there are reasons.
Back in February 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. government would no longer produce the penny, citing the cost of production per piece.
On November 12, 2025, the Mint held a ceremony to mark the last penny to be circulated – for now.
In 2024, the last full year in which the U.S. penny was minted produced 3.2 billion one cent coins. The cost to produce a one cent piece, which is made of zinc (97.5%) and a thin copper plating (2.5%), is estimated at 3.69 cents each. So, it costs over $118 million to produce $32 million in one cent currency.
The Treasury Department reports that there are roughly 300 billion pennies in circulation right now.
I still have pennies in my cup holder in my vehicle and in a jar at home. If I need a penny, I can usually get my hands on a one-center. I even pick up a penny off the ground from time to time. I have walked by a penny laying on the ground in a high traffic area for weeks with nobody claiming that prize. Finally, after feeling sorry for the penny, I will pick it up and add it to my collection.
While I never thought Abe’s penny would end up on the chopping block, I discovered that the nickel costs 13.78 cents to make and distribute for the five cent coin. The dime and quarter have a protected status since they are worth more than their production costs.
The End of Penny
Is this really the end of the penny?
I may be wrong, but I think the existing pennies will be in commerce circulation for a long time. I question if they have been over-produced and we may see the return of the penny within a couple decades. Maybe the use of plastic and e-commerce will further impact the use of currency as we know it, especially with future generations.
I am curious if the penny actually became extinct, how would that impact paying for products or services? There are a lot of factors impacting pricing of items, including taxes. If I purchase something and it costs $20.11, how does that work? Round down, right?
Will paying with cash no longer be an option? It seems the corporate world has pushed us in the direction of a cashless society.
A Culture of Pennies
This may not seem like a big deal to some of our readers, but the penny has been an iconic symbol or reference throughout the life of our country dating back to 1792.
While Abe Lincoln is losing his relevance on the lowest value of currency in our daily commerce, he still has his mug on the five dollar bill. He wasn’t the original face of the penny, which was signed into currency as the Fugio cent in 1787 under President George Washington. Benjamin Franklin was a design influencer of the original penny. One side showed a woman with flowing hair, representing Liberty. The other side presented a sundial with rays and the phrase “Fugio,” which was Latin for “I flee” (also indicating “time flies”).
Future Generations
Will Be Penniless
Will future generations have no reference to pennies other than in our history books?
They won’t have the same references we’ve developed over the course of centuries.
Phrases like …
A pound to a penny
A pretty penny
Bad Penny
Spend a penny
The penny drops
Pennies from Heaven
Make an honest penny
Penny ante
Penny pincher
See a penny, pick it up
Worth every penny
Penny stocks
Penny wise and pound foolish
Penny loafer
Lucky penny
Penny bank
A penny saved is a penny earned
Bright as a new penny
A penny for your thoughts
Who knows, maybe this crypto currency thing will be more relevant than I’m willing to accept. I have a hard time with something that’s not tangible. I’m not on board yet, so I’ll be the guy still showing up at the bank with my jar of change (mostly pennies) hoping I have accumulated enough funds for a trip to Hawaii.
Maybe I’ll be one of the last penny pushers…
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