Warrior Word

by Sara Retta

On November 12, our country witnessed the end to a century’s enduring commercial practice. The very last 0.01 cent coins were made on a quiet Wednesday at the Philadelphia Mint, where pennies have been generated since 1793.  US Treasurer, Brandon Beach, operated the machine to make the final batch. “God bless America!” he called out before pressing the mint’s lever. “…We’re going to save taxpayers 56 million dollars.” The reverberations of this decision are already apparent in retail stores and shops around America.

Many people do not seem to understand the reasoning behind terminating the penny. This is reflected in the shock and confusion that many citizens have responded to this decision with. President Trump made the order to stop the minting of pennies back in February, arguing that they cost more to make than they are worth. In 2001, the cost of pennies was in fact profitable, costing nearly less than a cent itself to make. By 2010, people began to have serious concerns over the inflation values of the bronze-colored coin, as their manufacturing cost was about double of their actual worth. Now, in 2025, one penny takes almost 4 cents to make.

Confusion accompanies the end of the single cent, with many wondering how transactions will be conducted, seeing as exact change smaller than the 5-cent coin can no longer be produced. Many stores have declared their aims to use the pennies they have in their rotation for as long as they can before making any changes. Most retailers, however, seem to plan on rounding prices to the nearest nickel both in pricing and for customer payments.

Still, an actual shortage of the coin doesn’t seem imminent. Almost half of the coins generated at the Philadelphia Mint were pennies. Banks across the country have begun rationing pennies despite a reported overabundance of them at places like Bank of America and Wells Fargo. It is also important to note that pennies remain a widely accepted monetary value in America. The use of the penny is not being eliminated;  the Treasury has simply decided not to make any more. In fact, approximately 250 million pennies are assumed to still be in circulation. 

For people of earlier generations, this decision might come as a shock. In the late 20th century, a penny could buy you a small candy. In the early 1900s, it could procure a postage stamp, a couple of biscuits, or a small chocolate bar. In 2025, a penny on its own could get you virtually nothing. They are used almost solely to balance out change and, in some cases, are seen as rare collectibles. Inflation seems only to be worsening these already concerning values.

In fact, many people do  understand the severity of inflation and its corruption on our monetary system. The penny isn’t the only coin that is no longer profitable; they are simply the only kind we can afford to cut. Currently, the cost of making a nickel sits at a shocking 14 cents. While the quarter remains profitable for now, fluctuating metal prices and the adoption of digital payments could very well change that.

For now, we can only hope that the research the US Mint is conducting in trying to make metal and composition costs complement value deem themselves fruitful. Ultimately, this news reflects the ways in which increasing inflation rates are gradually leaving our already precarious economy askew.