Lessons from a Penny

Our smallest coin is leaving the Mint, but it still has something to say.

On November 12, 2025, the United States Mint struck its final penny for general circulation, concluding a 232-year production run.

The reason was practical. By the end, it cost 3.69 cents to manufacture a coin worth one cent. Ending circulating production is expected to save approximately $56 million annually. Pennies already in circulation remain legal tender, and limited editions will still be produced for collectors. As the available supply diminishes, cash transactions may increasingly be rounded to the nearest nickel, while electronic transactions continue to be calculated to the exact cent.

So, the penny is not dead. But it is beginning a long retirement.

That seems like a good occasion to revisit some lessons an old penny once taught me.

When I Had Nothing to Write About

Many years ago, I was trying to find something to write about and was completely stumped.