On a quiet Wednesday in Philadelphia’s Old City, the U.S. Mint pressed the nation’s final one‑cent coin, ending 232 years of circulation that had begun in 1793. The event, covered by NBC10’s Aaron Baskerville, marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for the humble penny.
The End of Production
President Donald Trump had directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt one‑cent coin production as a cost‑cutting measure. As a result, the Philadelphia Mint struck the last pennies in November, after 232 years in circulation. Acting Mint Director Kristie McNally said in a statement at the time, “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on.”
Auction Highlights
Stack’s Bowers Galleries, a California auction house, announced that the 232 sets of three coins sold on behalf of the United States Mint garnered $16.76‑million. Each set included:
- a 2025 penny from the Philadelphia Mint,
- a 2025‑D penny from the Denver Mint, and
- a special 24‑karat gold 2025 penny struck in Philadelphia.
The auction drew “unprecedented” interest from collectors and lasted four hours of competitive bidding. Sets sold for an average of $72,000. The highest bids were:
- the first set, which sold for $200,000;
- the last set of pennies ever struck, which sold for a record‑breaking $800,000.
These sales made the last‑penny sets the most valuable modern U.S. currency sold at auction, surpassing the $550,000 record held by a space‑flown Sacagawea dollar sold in September.
Reactions from the Auction House
Stack’s Bowers Galleries president Brian Kendrella called the sale an honor. He said, “It’s an extraordinary honor to again be selected to partner with the United States Mint to offer exciting numismatic rarities to the collecting public,” and added, “They captured the public imagination like few rare coins we’ve ever handled. Even our staff of expert numismatists, who see the world’s most famous and valuable rare coins day in and day out, were excited by the chance to handle the very last pennies struck before the suspension of circulating production.”
The Future of the Penny
There are still an estimated 300 billion copper coins in circulation, and they can still be used. However, without new production, they will gradually disappear from everyday life, surviving mostly as collectibles and historical keepsakes. The auction and the final minting of the pennies underscore how the coin will shift from common currency to a prized item for collectors.
Key Takeaways
- 232 sets of last‑penny coins sold for $16.76 million, with the final set fetching $800,000.
- Each set featured a 2025 Philadelphia penny, a 2025‑D Denver penny, and a 24‑karat gold 2025 penny.
- The sale made the last‑penny sets the most valuable modern U.S. currency at auction.
The last U.S. penny’s press marks the closing of a 232‑year chapter in American numismatics and the beginning of a new era where the coin lives on in the hands of collectors and the market.
