Overview
- The Mint ended circulating penny production on November 12 with a ceremonial final strike in Philadelphia by U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach, and the coin remains legal tender with roughly 300 billion still in use.
- Stack’s Bowers will auction 232 commemorative Omega sets beginning December 11 at noon ET, each including Ω-marked pennies from Philadelphia and Denver plus a 24‑karat gold piece, with the final set also containing the canceled dies.
- Auction valuations are uncertain, with some experts projecting up to $5 million for select sets and others estimating nearer $1 million for the top coin; proceeds support Mint operations with any excess to the Treasury.
- No federal plan has been issued for rounding or withdrawal, and the American Bankers Association says localized supply issues stem from slowed recirculation as banks and retailers rely on coins already in the system.
- Businesses are hoarding pennies or rounding cash totals—Kwik Trip rounds down to the nearest nickel—while retailers cite swipe fees on cards, and some jurisdictions requiring exact change complicate policy choices.