US Mint Ends Penny Production After 230 Years of Circulation

• Nov 13, 2025

After more than two centuries in circulation, the United States Mint has officially struck its final penny, marking the end of a small but enduring part of American history. The decision concludes over 230 years of production of the one-cent coin, which has long symbolized everyday transactions across generations.

The penny’s end comes as part of a broader effort by the federal government to cut costs and modernize the nation’s currency system. In recent years, the cost of producing a single penny has far exceeded its actual value, leading to growing calls from lawmakers, economists, and the Treasury Department to discontinue it.

Introduced in 1793, the penny was the first coin ever minted in the United States. It featured a design of Lady Liberty surrounded by stars, later replaced by the familiar image of President Abraham Lincoln in 1909 to commemorate the centennial of his birth. Since then, the Lincoln penny has become one of the most recognizable coins in U.S. history.

However, rising production expenses and inflation gradually eroded its practicality. According to government data, it cost more than two cents to mint each penny in recent years due to increases in metal prices, primarily copper and zinc. The U.S. Mint and Treasury officials determined that continuing production was no longer financially sustainable.

While the penny will no longer be produced, officials emphasized that existing coins will remain legal tender and can still be used in transactions. Businesses and consumers will also have the option to round cash purchases to the nearest five cents, as other countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have successfully done after retiring their lowest-denomination coins.

Collectors and historians have expressed both nostalgia and admiration for the penny’s long history. For many Americans, the coin represents sentimental memories of childhood piggy banks, charity drives, and small acts of generosity—moments that will now pass into history.

The U.S. Mint’s final batch of pennies will be preserved for archival and educational purposes, symbolizing the close of an era in American currency. After more than two centuries, the smallest coin in U.S. pockets will now belong to history books rather than cash registers.