The last minted pennies sold for millions at auction? See how much

Stack’s Bowers Galleries auctioned 232 three-coin sets containing the last 2025 circulated U.S. pennies together with a 24‑karat gold uncirculated penny and an Ω privy mark, bringing total winning bids of $16,764,500; the final lot, which included the three original dies, sold for $800,000 while most early lots finished in the $50,000–$60,000 range and the last 50 lots fetched $65,000–$80,000. The special run was produced after the Treasury — following President Trump’s order to stop minting pennies because each cent costs 3.7 cents to make — and the 232 sets symbolized 232 years since the penny’s 1793 creation. Bids substantially outstripped pre‑sale estimates (some realized roughly 50% above expectations), attracted an unusually broad pool of buyers and even forced a one‑hour website delay, underscoring robust collector demand and notable price discovery for a politically and numismatically scarce issue.

Analysis

Stack’s Bowers Galleries auctioned 232 three-coin sets containing the last 2025 circulated U.S. pennies paired with a 24‑karat gold uncirculated penny and an Ω privy mark, generating $16,764,500 in winning bids; the single final lot that included the three original dies sold for $800,000, while early lots mostly finished in the $50,000–$60,000 range and the final 50 lots realized $65,000–$80,000. The special run was produced after the Treasury, following President Donald Trump’s order to stop minting pennies because each cent costs 3.7 cents to make, and the 232 sets were explicitly tied to the 232 years since the penny’s 1793 introduction, creating a clearly documented scarcity and political provenance. Bids exceeded pre‑sale expectations by roughly 50% in some cases (John Feigenbaum cited $40k–$45k estimates versus $65k–$70k results), attracted an unusually broad pool of buyers and even forced a one‑hour website capacity upgrade, indicating active price discovery and retail/institutional interest. The outcome establishes market benchmarks for “last‑run” numismatic issues but also implies concentrated liquidity at specialist auction venues and potential volatility as novelty premiums are tested in follow‑on sales.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Monitor follow‑on auction results and secondary‑market trade activity before taking meaningful positions, as initial sales materially exceeded estimates and will determine whether premiums sustain
• If allocating capital to similar numismatic lots, restrict position sizes and transact through established auction houses or reputable dealers to preserve provenance and liquidity given sales concentration and high single‑lot prices
• Track Treasury/U.S. Mint statements and any additional limited runs or commemorative decisions closely, since political decisions around minting served as the primary catalyst for scarcity and price discovery