Final US pennies struck sold for over a total $16 million at auction
AP News••business
Key Points:
- The U.S. Mint auctioned 232 three-cent sets containing the final pennies circulated before production ended in November, raising $16.76 million.
- The 232nd set, which included the last three pennies ever made and the dies used to strike them, sold for $800,000.
- Each set contained 2,025 pennies from the Philadelphia and Denver Mints, plus a 24-karat gold penny, each marked with a unique Omega symbol.
- Experts noted the auction's unprecedented interest, highlighting the penny's cultural significance and nostalgic value to collectors.
- Introduced in 1793, the penny has transitioned from everyday currency to a historical collectible, reflecting its deep embedding in American culture.
