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cover of episode Pennies don’t make cents

Pennies don’t make cents

2024/10/11
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The US Mint spends over three cents to produce each penny. This is paradoxical because pennies are rarely used, leading to a constant need for new pennies to replace those not in circulation. The sheer volume of existing pennies creates a storage problem, further complicating the issue.
  • The US Mint spends 3.07 cents to make each penny.
  • Pennies are rarely used and often end up in coin jars or forgotten.
  • A sudden influx of pennies into circulation would overwhelm government storage capabilities.

Shownotes Transcript

Pennies cost more than a cent to make — and no one spends them. The New York Times Magazine’s Caity Weaver explains why we can’t get rid of them.

This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers and Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Sean Rameswaram.

Transcript at vox.com/today-explained-podcast)

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Photo by Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images.

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