Is the End Finally Near for the U.S. Penny? The Three-Cent Penny Dilemma
Weighing the Costs, Charities, and the Cultural Clash Over America's Least Valued Coin
Could we finally see the end of an end to the U.S. penny? After all, a one-cent penny costs three cents to produce, costing taxpayers around $180 million annually. We’ve seen this before, with campaigns over the years to eliminate the penny, only to be defeated by the mighty penny lobby, LOL.
While there are some positives in keeping the penny in circulation, many see it as a hindrance and want it gone. On the positive side, it helps companies with their marketing campaigns, as offering a product for $9.99 sounds better than $10. The penny also helps private charities as people save their pennies and then donate them to charity via CoinStar or other means. It is also a “make work” program for the government.
So, in these days of DOGE, where we are ferreting out all avenues of savings, will we finally eliminate the U.S. Penny? It is wildly popular with the American people, so let’s see if it will happen this time around. Even the New York Times wants the penny to go away.
