Last Thursday, the U.S. Mint’s final pennies were sold in a record-setting auction that drew the attention of coin collectors and the public alike.
The auction, hosted by Stack’s Bowers Galleries, saw 232 three-cent sets-each containing the last pennies ever struck-change hands for a combined $16.76 million.
Each set was a 2025 edition, featuring pennies minted at the Philadelphia and Denver facilities, plus a single 24-karat gold penny that marked the end of the era.
The gold penny, along with the other cents, bore a unique Omega symbol, a detail that added to the sets’ appeal and symbolic value.
The final set, numbered 232 and containing the last three pennies ever produced, fetched $800,000, the highest price of any individual set in the auction.
The bidder who acquired the 232nd set also received the three dies that struck those final Lincoln cents, a rare item for any numismatist.
John Kraljevich, director of numismatic Americana at Stack’s Bowers, remarked, “I’ve been going to coin auctions for 40 years, and I can tell you, I’ve never seen anything like this, because there’s never been anything like this.”
Stack’s Bowers President Brian Kendrella added, “They captured the public imagination like few rare coins we’ve ever handled.”
The sets also included 232 grouplets, one for each year the penny had been a part of American culture, underscoring the coin’s long history.
Kraljevich noted that the penny has become a cultural touchstone, saying, “American culture has incorporated the penny into our lexicon, into our pop culture, into all of this stuff.”
He continued, “And I think for a lot of people, the ending of production of cents for circulation is an item of nostalgia.”
When the penny was first introduced in 1793, it could purchase a biscuit or a piece of candy, a fact that highlights how far its value has shifted over time.
The auction’s success reflects the enduring interest of coin collectors, some of whom argue that the penny still holds value beyond its face amount.
Olivia Diaz, a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative, reported on the event, noting the auction’s significance for numismatics.
The record sale not only celebrated the end of the cent’s production but also provided a tangible connection to a piece of American history that has evolved from everyday currency to a collectible artifact.
Collectors who participated were drawn by the combination of historical significance, rarity, and the symbolic closure offered by the 24-karat gold penny.
The auction highlighted how a humble coin, once a staple of daily transactions, can transform into a valued piece of cultural heritage when its production ceases.
With the final pennies now in the hands of collectors and museums, the U.S. Mint’s decision to end cent production marks a closing chapter for a coin that has long been part of the American story.
Key Takeaways
- 232 sets sold for $16.76 million, with the last set fetching $800 k.
- Sets included 2025 pennies, a 24-karat gold penny, and a unique Omega symbol.
- The auction captured public imagination, underscoring the penny’s cultural and nostalgic value.
The auction’s record sales and the collectors’ enthusiasm underscore how a once-everyday coin can become a treasured artifact when its production ends, preserving a piece of American heritage for future generations.
