There’s something solemn about the idea of losing the penny, this tiny, copper-colored constant, which, as of Nov. 12, is no longer being pressed by the U.S Mint.
Despite the penny’s impracticality and minimal purchasing power, the coin has been with us for over 232 years, jingling in our pockets, lining our junk drawers, filling car cup holders, and hiding under couch cushions.
After the penny debuted in 1793, the coin became a symbol of good luck and prosperity, a connection to the deceased, a token of visitation at military grave sites, and even protection against evil. The penny, then, is more than a forgotten cent that falls into sidewalk cracks — it’s been embedded in American society since just after our nation’s founding.
As the last penny was pressed, there was no moment of silence for its passing, just a small coin quietly completing its journey after more than two centuries of being minted and circulated, and passed between hands.
While few seemed to lament the loss last Wednesday, they should have. We are losing more than a coin — we’re losing a familiar constant of everyday life.
I’m not alone in having memories of filling ceramic piggy banks with the copper coins; making silent wishes before tossing them into Brea Mall’s fountain; pressing them into souvenirs at the San Diego Zoo and OC Fair; and learning to count by sorting them into rows.
As the penny fades into obsolescence (that is, until the remaining 300 billion pennies currently in circulation disappear into landfills, oceans, and plastic water jugs), the memories will endure.
Yes, pennies cost more to make than they’re worth ($3.69 per penny, in fact). Yes, they slow down grocery store checkout lines. And yes, they’re an inconvenient relic of the days of coin purses and Bing Crosby songs.
But despite the coin’s imperfections, the Abraham Lincoln-stamped currency serves as a reminder that even the smallest things can leave a profound mark. And as the U.S. prepares to round its prices to the nearest nickel, we should forever think fondly of how well the penny has served us. Although its monetary value may have been low, its impact on us wasn’t.
