The Last 5 Pennies Ever Made Have a Special Mark and Could Sell for Big Bucks
The US Mint brought more than two centuries of penny production to a close last week
In case you missed it, the US Mint will no longer make any more pennies. First minted in 1793 and changed to the design we’re most familiar with in 1809, the penny has officially reached the end of its production run. However, there are about 300 million still in circulation. The last five pennies ever minted will feature a special omega symbol on them. Unfortunately, they won’t be released into circulation by the Philadelphia mint. Instead, they’ll be auctioned off. Some experts say they may go for tens of thousands of dollars, while others are claiming they’ll probably fetch anywhere from $2 million to $5 million per coin.
Funny that I came across this CNET article (linked above) because my wife and I were talking about exactly this on the way home today. I told her I was a little sad to see the penny come to an end because it’s always been around. Now that they’re not being made anymore, I’m sure we’ll all try to keep whatever pennies come across our path from now on. Maybe people will even stop, bend down, and pick up a penny or two from now on. Maybe people won’t even throw them in those fountains at the mall to make a wish?