However, it finally appears that the penny is going by the wayside after President Donald Trump revealed that he has instructed the Treasury to stop producing pennies.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social:
“For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the U.S. Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.”
Pennies can still be used in ordinary transactions, but the supply of new ones is likely to be coming to an end.
Though slightly varying amounts are being reported, last year it roughly cost 3.69 cents to produce one penny, leaving a deficit of over 2 cents. Other coins’ mint cost is on the rise as well. Govmint reported in October of last year that “the nickel’s unit cost increased by 19.4%, now costing 13.78 cents to produce; the dime’s unit cost increased by 8.7%.; and the quarter’s unit cost increased by 26.2%.”
CNBC noted in a report:
According to the Federal Reserve, there are 114 billion pennies in circulation, or $1.14 billion, or 0.006% of the money in circulation. It costs $192 million a year to produce pennies, about 4% of the Mint’s operating budget but only 0.00003% of the U.S. federal budget. This expense makes the penny expendable, according to economists.
David Gulley, an economics professor at Bentley University, said the estimated cost of making a penny, at around three cents, is an economic burden, “because millions vanish under couch cushions each year, the U.S. Mint must produce a steady stream of replacements.”Subscribed
Pennies were first federally minted beginning in 1793 and were made completely of copper, whereas now the coin is primarily zinc coated with 2.5% copper, according to the U.S. Mint.
Fortune reported roughly two weeks ago that Elon Musk, head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), indicated that they planned to scrap the penny soon.
Read the rest of the report for free on Substack:
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
The WinePress needs your support! If God has laid it on your heart to want to contribute, please prayerfully consider donating to this ministry. If you cannot gift a monetary donation, then please donate your fervent prayers to keep this ministry going! Thank you and may God bless you.
