One-Cent Conundrum: Collectors Stunned as U.S. Mint Halts Production, Dimming Value Hopes

RAYMORE, Mo. (KCTV) — While this Friday marks National Lucky Penny Day, the outlook for pennies isn’t particularly rosy.

The U.S. Treasury The company confirmed on Thursday that it has placed its final order for pennies. Once this batch is depleted, penny production will cease, though the coins will remain usable for transactions. This decision follows an announcement by the Trump administration in February to stop producing one-cent coins, which is projected to save the government approximately $56 million.

Given that there are 114 billion pennies produced, this coin isn’t at all scarce. As stated by Rick Raines, pennies are the most frequently gathered coins. Raines Rare Coins LLC However, Raines hasn't noticed a rise in the demand for pennies following the announcement of halted production.

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"There are still far too many pennies for the collector's base to gather," Raines stated.

However, even securing a single penny has proven challenging: specifically, the 2025 penny.

Raines stated that once everyone learned about the halt in production, they all rushed to purchase them from stores. "As a result, collectors are searching for these items, and currently, I don't have any available at my store," he added.

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However, older pennies hold value equivalent to their weight in copper. Those produced prior to 1982 are valued at approximately three cents each. While you have the option of selling these coins to a dealer, melting them down is not permitted. Because they remain valid currency, doing so would be considered a criminal offense due to potential profit-driven motives.

"If they eliminate the penny or the cent, I’m not sure if they'll agree to have them melted down; they likely will," Raines stated.

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