History was hammered into copper one last time, as America’s final circulating pennies shattered auction records. Stack’s Bowers Galleries, a California auction house, announced that the 232 sets of three coins that were sold on behalf of the United States Mint garnered $16.76 million. Eac h set featured a 2025 penny from the Philadelphia Mint, a 2025-D penny from the Denver Mint, and a special 2025 penny struck in 24-karat gold at the Philadelphia Mint. The auction comes after President Donald Trump directed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to halt one‑cent coin production as a cost‑cutting measure, leading the Philadelphia Mint to strike the nation’s final pennies in November after 232 years in circulation. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on,” acting Mint Director Kristie McNally shared in a statement at the time. Money Nov 12 The penny is dead after 232 years — why you shouldn't get rid of it Money May 24 Here's how much the US spends on minting its coins and cash The auction house noted the pennies drew “unprecedented” interest from collectors and included four hours of competitive bidding. The sets sold for an average of $72,000. The highest bids went to the first set, which sold for $200,000, and the last set of pennies ever struck, which went for a record-breaking $800,000. That makes it the most valuable modern U.S. currency sold at auction, surpassing the $550,000 record held by a space-flown Sacagawea dollar sold in September, according to Stack’s Bowers. Stack’s Bowers Galleries president Brian Kendrella said the sale was an honor. “It’s an extraordinary honor to again be selected to partner with the United States Mint to offer exciting numismatic rarities to the collecting public,” he said in a press release. “They captured the public imagination like few rare coins we’ve ever handled. Even our staff of expert numismatists, who see the world’s most famous and valuable rare coins day in and day out, were excited by the chance to handle the very last pennies struck before the suspension of circulating production.” So what does this mean for the penny’s fate? There are still an estimated 300 billion copper coins in circulation and they can still be used, but without new production, they’ll gradually disappear from everyday life, surviving mostly as collectibles and historical keepsakes.   ...read more read less