Thu May 22 14:50:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
**Headline: Penny’s End is Nigh: US Mint to Cease Production as Blanks Run Out**
**Washington D.C.** – The era of the penny in American commerce is drawing to a close. The Treasury Department confirmed that the US Mint placed its final order of penny blanks earlier this month, signaling the beginning of the end for the one-cent coin. While the Mint will continue producing pennies until its current supply of blanks is exhausted, the coin will gradually disappear from circulation.
The move is projected to save the government a significant $56 million annually in materials costs. The cost to manufacture each penny has long exceeded its face value, with the Mint’s 2024 report revealing that it costs over three cents to produce a single coin. The rising cost of production, up 20.2% in 2024 alone, has fueled calls for the penny’s elimination.
The White House DOGE Office publicly criticized the penny earlier this year, highlighting its inefficiency. Although without the power to eliminate the coin, its post echoed the sentiment of politicians across the political spectrum.
Previous attempts to eliminate the penny have stalled in Congress, the economic realities and symbolic importance have ultimately proven persuasive. Other nations, including Canada and Sweden, have already phased out their own one-cent coins. Public opinion also appears to be shifting, with a 2022 Data for Progress survey finding that 58% of Americans support ending penny production.
First issued in 1793, the penny has been a fixture of American life for over 230 years. Its eventual disappearance will mark the end of an era.
First Piper 