A pretty penny: Last US cents sell for $16.7 million

Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold 232 three-coin sets of the final-minted U.S. pennies for a total of $16.76 million, averaging more than $72,000 per lot; each set included a 2025 Philadelphia cent, a 24-karat gold omega-marked penny from Philadelphia, and a 2025-D Denver cent, with the final set fetching $800,000. Minting of pennies was halted in November amid cost concerns — the U.S. Mint reported an $85.3 million loss on penny production in FY2024 and the administration instructed the Treasury to stop producing the coin — and existing pennies will remain in circulation. The auction highlights strong numismatic demand for a supply-constrained, historic issuance and delivers a one-off revenue and publicity boost for the Mint, without altering the underlying fiscal rationale for ending penny production.

Analysis

Stack’s Bowers Galleries sold 232 three-coin sets consisting of a 2025 Philadelphia cent, a 24-karat gold omega-marked penny from Philadelphia, and a 2025-D Denver cent for a total of $16.76 million, averaging over $72,000 per lot; the final set (No. 232) fetched $800,000, underscoring tiered collector willingness to pay a premium for provenance and final-run numbering. The auction house and the U.S. Mint framed the sale as a ceremonial event—Stack’s Bowers President Brian Kendrella called it an honor and Acting Mint Director Kristie McNally highlighted the historical significance—providing publicity value to the Mint. Minting of circulating pennies was halted in November and the Mint reported an $85.3 million loss on penny production in FY2024, while President Trump publicly instructed the Treasury to end production; existing pennies will remain legal tender and in circulation. The sale demonstrates acute numismatic demand for supply-constrained, historically significant issues and delivers a one-off revenue and PR boost to the Mint, but the $16.76 million auction proceeds are small relative to the reported $85.3 million annual production loss and therefore do not alter the underlying fiscal rationale for ending penny production.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Recognize this as a niche, one-off collectibles event: consider limited, tactical exposure to numismatic assets through specialist auctions or dealers only if you have expertise or access to that market,
• Do not treat auction proceeds as meaningful fiscal relief for the Mint—compare $16.76 million in sales to the $85.3 million FY2024 production loss—and avoid reallocating fiscal-risk positions based on this sale,
• Monitor secondary-market pricing and future Mint or Treasury statements (including political developments) as catalysts for further premiuming in last-run U.S. coinage, and use those signals before increasing allocation to collectibles