Soon to be, our thoughts will no longer be worth a penny.
The last penny struck by the U. S. Mint in Philadelphia occurred on Wednesday, November 12, 2025. The historic, ceremonial strike was hosted by the United States Treasurer Brandon Beach who struck the final circulating one-cent coin.
Beach stated, ” We are saying goodbye to the penny today. The final coins pressed will be auctioned off.”
After more than two centuries, the penny, one of our nation’s first coins minted in 1787, is being removed from circulation. However, it will remain legal tender.
There are an estimated 300 billion pennies in circulation.
President Donald Trump announced that he instructed the Secretary of the United States Treasury to stop producing new pennies. The penny costs nearly four-cents to mint.
The cent was initially designed by Benjamin Franklin. The current style of penny was struck on the centennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. It was the first American coin to feature the likeness of an United States president.
Neil Walker, with First Financial Bank in Bessemer, stated, “While the government moves to increase efficiency by phasing out the penny, First Financial Bank will continue to make the coins available for as long as possible to help smooth the transition for our customers.”
Ending penny production will save taxpayers nearly $56 million annually.