By John Lavers
The penny has finally been retired. After more than a century of production and being in peoples pockets, cupholders and the floor, the U.S. has officially stopped producing it. Do you remember the last time you even used a penny? A lot of people see this as the end of an era, but honestly it makes sense.
For years, the penny has caused more issues than it solved. The biggest issue was cost. It actually cost the government more to make one than it was worth. In 2024 expenses such as the cost of raw material and the labor necessary for its creation meant that every 1 cent coin fetched 3.69 cents from the US Mint.
On a large scale this means that millions of dollars are wasted every year on a coin that’s not even useful in most situations. When you look at it like that, ending production wasn’t really a tough call.
Students here at IHS seem to agree. Sophomore Dario Gryka said “I think it’s good because it costs more to make a penny than it’s worth, so it will save money.”
The truth is, barely anyone uses pennies anymore. Most people use quarters, bills and cards. Due to the rise of digital payments, physical currency, especially small coins like the penny are increasingly dated.
Other countries like Canada have already removed their lowest value coins and adjusted easily. Stores using cash just round up totals or down, and it evens out.
In the end, stopping penny production saves money, cuts clutter and brings us in line with the way people pay today. The penny had a long run, but it makes sense its time is over.
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