The End of the Penny: Myth, Memory, and Meaning

On November 12, 2025, the United States Mint made its final circulating penny in Philadelphia, closing the chapter on a coin first authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792. For more than two centuries, the penny has been part of everyday American life—used to buy candy in the 19th century, tossed into fountains for luck, and saved in jars across generations.

The U.S. Mint has officially retired the penny after more than 230 years, marking the end of an era in American currency. Though pennies remain legal tender, no new ones will be produced, and the final coins minted in Philadelphia this week will be reserved for collectors.

The penny’s fate was sealed by economics. It now costs 3.69 cents to produce a single penny, more than triple its face value. In fiscal year 2024 alone, the Mint lost $85 million producing pennies. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump ordered the halt, calling penny production “wasteful” in a digital-first economy.

Lincoln’s Legacy and the Penny’s Myth

Abraham Lincoln never actually said that the penny should remain so that poor people could have them. That line belongs more to cultural myth than to historical record. What Lincoln did leave us was a legacy of being “the president of the common people,” which is why his face was chosen for the smallest coin in 1909.

When the Lincoln cent was introduced in 1909 (to mark his 100th birthday), writer Carl Sandburg reflected that Lincoln’s face belonged on the “cheapest and most common coin in the country” because he came from and belonged to the common people.

What Happens Next?

Even though the U.S. Mint has stopped making pennies, they won’t go away anytime soon. That’s because there are about 250 billion pennies in circulation, according to the American Banking Association.

• Legal Tender: Pennies will remain valid currency. With 300 billion pennies still in circulation, Americans can continue to use them.
• Retail Adjustments: Some businesses already report shortages. Stores like Kroger and McDonald’s are rounding transactions to the nearest nickel.
• Collectors’ Market: The final pennies, stamped with a special “Omega” mark, will be auctioned rather than circulated. Numismatic editions will continue in limited runs for collectors.
• Historical Echo: The last time the U.S. discontinued a coin was the half-cent in 1857.

Cultural Significance

For some, the penny’s end is practical—no more clutter in drawers or wasted production costs. For others, it feels like losing a piece of Americana, a coin that linked generations through everyday exchanges and small rituals of luck.

Even as the Mint retires it, the coin carries a weight of memory and meaning. That symbolism has endured far beyond its monetary value. For generations, the penny has been a reminder of thrift, luck, and accessibility.

My Ritual of Picking Up Pennies

I confess that I still pick up pennies when I find them. Some see them as worthless, but I see them as blessings—tiny reminders that value isn’t always measured in dollars. Each penny I pocket feels like a nod from history, a whisper from Lincoln’s legacy, and a spark of gratitude in my day.

“As America moves forward without minting new pennies, I’ll keep honoring the ones I find—because sometimes the smallest coin carries the greatest meaning.”

The penny’s story is one of endurance, symbolism, and eventual obsolescence. Perhaps it means that value itself is shifting—from coins in our pockets to digital balances on our screens. As for me, and for many others, the penny will remain a symbol of thrift, legacy, and blessing.