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Hundreds Hold Mock Funeral for the Penny at the Lincoln Memorial

Organizers leaned into symbolism after the Mint’s final strike, with officials pointing to roughly $56 million in annual savings.

Photo Dec 20 2025, 1 46 33 PM
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Group gathered with a white coffin near the Washington Monument; a grieving woman, veiled in black, holds her face in another frame
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Overview

  • The event, staged by financial platform Ramp, drew hundreds and featured Lincoln impersonators, a white casket and attendees tossing one‑cent coins as a farewell.
  • Penny production ended after President Donald Trump directed the Treasury to halt new minting, with the U.S. Mint striking the final coins on Nov. 12.
  • Officials cite rising costs—nearly four cents to make each penny—and the Mint’s recent losses of more than $85 million on nearly 3 billion coins.
  • Billions of pennies remain in circulation and the coin still counts as legal tender, with any formal removal requiring an act of Congress.
  • Collector demand surged as 232 sets of the final pennies sold earlier this month for $16.76 million, while some retailers test rounding and promotions such as McDonald’s pilot rounding and a Sheetz penny-for-soda offer.