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Hundreds Hold ‘Funeral’ for the Penny at the Lincoln Memorial

The ceremony followed the Mint’s shutdown of penny production after years of losses.

Overview

  • Ramp organized the tongue-in-cheek service on Dec. 20, featuring Lincoln impersonators, a white casket and attendees tossing coins in as a final farewell.
  • Penny production ended after President Donald Trump directed the Treasury in February to stop minting the coin because each one cost nearly four cents to make.
  • The U.S. Mint struck the final ceremonial penny on Nov. 12, capping more than two centuries of one-cent coinage.
  • Earlier this month, 232 sets of three final pennies sold at auction for about $16.76 million, reflecting intense collector demand.
  • Treasury officials estimate savings of roughly $56 million annually from ending production, while billions of existing pennies remain legal tender unless Congress acts.