The Last US Pennies Ever Minted Fetch a Whopping $16.76 Million at Auction
They’re worth a pretty penny. The last-ever minted US pennies were auctioned off for a whopping $16.76 million last Thursday. The millions were doled out for 232 three-coin sets, marking the highest value auction of special coins sold on behalf of the US Mint, Stack’s Bowers Gallery announced in a statement. The 232nd set — containing the last pennies ever made before their discontinuance in November — sold for an eye-watering $800,000. The sets featured a 2025 penny struck at the Philadelphia Mint, a 2025-D penny struck at the Denver Mint, and a historic 2025 penny struck in 24-karat gold, also at the Philadelphia Mint, the statement said. The coins were each marked with the Greek letter Omega to signal their capstone to the penny’s two-century-long legacy. “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,” Stack’s Bowers Galleries President Brian Kendrella said in a statement. “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.” President Trump canceled penny production for the 2026 year after the coin started to cost about four times more to make than the 1 cent it is actually worth in US currency. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on. As its usage in commerce continues to evolve, its significance in America’s story will endure,” acting Mint Director Kristie McNally said in a statement at the time. What do you think? Post a comment. The US government first began minting pennies in 1793, when Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital. Coin experts previously estimated that the last pennies standing could sell for as much as $5 million each when they hit the auction block, USA Today reported.
In This Article:
Record-Breaking Auction for Last Pennies 232 Three-Coin Sets Sell for $16.76 Million
The last pennies ever minted were auctioned off for a staggering $16.76 million last Thursday, in a sale that highlights the enduring fascination with the nation’s currency. The auction offered 232 three-coin sets, the highest-value auction of special coins sold on behalf of the US Mint, Stack’s Bowers Gallery announced in a statement. The 232nd set, containing the final pennies minted before their discontinuance in November, sold for $800,000. Each set included a 2025 penny struck at the Philadelphia Mint, a 2025-D penny struck at the Denver Mint, and a historic 2025 penny struck in 24-karat gold, also at the Philadelphia Mint. The coins were all marked with the Greek letter Omega to signal their capstone to the penny’s two-century-long legacy.
The People Behind the Sale and the Penny’s Final Mark
“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,” Stack’s Bowers Galleries President Brian Kendrella said in a statement. “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.”
A Penny’s History and the Promise of Its Legacy
President Trump canceled penny production for the 2026 year after the coin started to cost about four times more to make than the 1 cent it is actually worth in US currency. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on. As its usage in commerce continues to evolve, its significance in America’s story will endure,” acting Mint Director Kristie McNally said in a statement at the time. The US government first began minting pennies in 1793, when Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital. Coin experts previously estimated that the last pennies standing could sell for as much as $5 million each when they hit the auction block, USA Today reported.
