A staggering sum: Last US pennies auctioned for $16.7 million
On December 15, 2025, America's smallest denomination coin made history by fetching an impressive $16.76 million at auction, according to Stack’s Bowers Galleries based in California.
These pennies were part of the very last minted collection, which included a total of 232 sets, each featuring three distinct coins: a 2025 penny produced at the Philadelphia Mint, a 24-karat gold penny also from Philadelphia, and a 2025-D penny minted in Denver. This was confirmed in a press release issued by the auction house (https://stacksbowers.com/sbpressreleases/last-omega-pennies-sell-for-over-16-76-million-in-stacks-bowers-galleries-auction/).
Each of these coins bore the omega symbol "Ω," signifying the final production of the penny, which has its origins dating back to 1793. This special marking likely contributed to the demand for all 232 lots available during the auction, as noted by Stack’s Bowers Galleries.
The average selling price for each set of coins was around $72,000, with the last lot, numbered 232, commanding a remarkable $800,000. This particular set was especially coveted because it contained the last circulating pennies from both the Philadelphia and Denver mints, along with the final gold omega penny.
Brian Kendrella, the President of Stack’s Bowers Galleries, expressed pride in conducting this historic sale. "It’s an extraordinary honor to once again partner with the United States Mint to present such exciting numismatic treasures to collectors everywhere," he stated.
The acting director of the Mint, Kristie McNally, echoed this excitement in the press release (https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usmint.gov%2Fnews%2Fpress-releases%2Fhistoric-auction-celebrates-232-years-of-the-penny-with-2025-three-coin-sets-featuring-24-karat-gold-cent%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOopg8x1PzqkCjNr8WXPvk5Q-eEvuI7nMz43VLB-d4bN_iUxxycDx&data=05%7C02%7CMason.Leath%40abc.com%7C095db3f0e1f945f52b2f08de3c35915b%7C56b731a8a2ac4c32bf6b616810e913c6%7C1%7C0%7C639014397921358052%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AV5LP6ZqOvbL5K3uX3zgQ3hF9jZMPzC25BEEs4s3o4M%3D&reserved=0), highlighting the penny’s resilience throughout 232 years of American history. She remarked, "We take great pride in giving the public an opportunity to celebrate this legacy by acquiring one of these unique sets. It honors the tradition of Connecting America through Coins."
Minting of new pennies came to an end in November when the federal government halted production due to rising costs. In February, former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to announce his request to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to cease the penny's production altogether. "For too long, we have been producing pennies that cost more than two cents to make. This is simply wasteful! I instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop minting new pennies. Let's eliminate this waste from our nation's budget, one penny at a time," he stated.
According to the Mint's annual report (https://www.usmint.gov/content/dam/usmint/reports/2024-annual-report.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOopLddmLm85H7tyF0KKzm0elzOVOvcPDEfbpqioyeN7uUUViaQO2) submitted to Congress, the Mint disclosed a loss of $85.3 million attributed to penny production in the fiscal year 2024.
However, while new pennies will no longer be minted, existing ones will continue to circulate.
