The Last Penny: US Mint Ends 232 Years of Cent Production on November 12, 2025

A 232-Year Tradition Comes to an End

On November 12, 2025, U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach struck the final circulating one-cent coin at the Philadelphia Mint in a ceremonial event marking the end of penny production. The Lincoln cent, America's longest-running coin design, joined a growing list of retired denominations — but unlike the half cent (discontinued 1857) or the three-cent piece (1889), the penny's discontinuation made front-page news worldwide.

The 2025 Lincoln Shield Cent — the last pennies ever produced for circulation. View in the NumisDex catalog.

Why the Penny Was Retired

President Trump ordered the Treasury to stop making pennies on February 9, 2025, citing their cost: "For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!" he wrote on Truth Social, as reported by Scripps News. In May the Treasury placed its last order for cent blanks. The numbers supported the decision:

• Production cost: 3.69 cents per penny — nearly 4x the coin's face value
• Annual savings: The Treasury estimated that ending production would save about $56 million a year in material costs (as reported by Scripps News, May 2025)
• Legal authority: No new legislation was needed. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent exercised existing authority under 31 U.S.C. section 5111(a)(1), which directs the Secretary to mint the coins listed in section 5112 (the one-cent coin is 5112(a)(6)) "in amounts the Secretary decides are necessary to meet the needs of the United States." Bessent decided no new circulating cents were needed.

The production cost had been rising for years. Materials (copper-plated zinc), facility operations, and distribution overhead all contributed to making the penny the most inefficient coin in American commerce.

The Omega Pennies

To mark the occasion, the U.S. Mint produced 232 special three-coin sets — each containing a Philadelphia, Denver, and 24-karat gold cent, all bearing a small omega (Ω) privy mark symbolizing "the end." The sets were auctioned by Stack's Bowers Galleries on December 11, 2025.

From First to Last: 1793 to 2025

The first U.S. cents were struck in 1793 — Flowing Hair Chain Cents and Wreath Cents, produced at the Philadelphia Mint just one year after the Mint's founding. Over 232 years, the cent passed through about a dozen major designs:

The 1793 Chain Cent — the first cent ever produced by the U.S. Mint. View in the NumisDex catalog.

• Flowing Hair Chain/Wreath (1793)
• Liberty Cap (1793-1796)
• Draped Bust (1796-1807)
• Classic Head (1808-1814)
• Coronet/Matron Head (1816-1857)
• Flying Eagle (1856-1858)
• Indian Head (1859-1909)
• Lincoln Wheat (1909-1958)
• Lincoln Memorial (1959-2008)
• Lincoln Bicentennial (2009)
• Lincoln Shield (2010-2025)

The Lincoln cent alone ran for 116 years — the longest-running design in U.S. coinage history.

The ceremonial final strike — marking the end of 232 years of American cent production.

What Happens to the Billions of Pennies Still Out There

Estimates of how many pennies remain in circulation vary widely: the Treasury estimated 114 billion in 2025, while the Mint estimates roughly 300 billion in public hands. These coins remain legal tender, and the Federal Reserve said it would keep recirculating them for as long as possible; after it stopped taking pennies at many of its terminals in late 2025, it resumed penny deposits in January 2026. Over time, pennies will naturally be absorbed into collections, lost, or removed from circulation, but this process will take years or decades.

The Mint will continue producing numismatic (collector) pennies in proof sets and special editions. Only circulating production has ended.

Explore the complete Lincoln cent series in the NumisDex catalog.