Requiem for Common Cents

Another turn of the screw on our way to the Tribulation.

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One of my most treasured childhood memories is of an afternoon in March 1973 that I spent running errands with my step-grandfather. Granddaddy B had a feel for the little things in life that I loved. On this day, he got some change at one of the stores we stopped by, and was impressed by the really shiny penny he got back with his change. “Here you go, Roy! First penny of the new year!” He chuckled, because we were, of course, far from the “new year.” But here was a new penny!

I remember looking that coin over and over. It was just a regular penny, except a very shiny bronze, and with 1973 as its stamp. But Granddaddy B noticed it there in his hand—and just gave it to me. (That same afternoon he would buy me a MAD Magazine Special Issue, all of 60¢ at a time when 6o¢ meant something.) From then on, I noticed the current year’s coins generally came out towards the end of the first quarter. Every time I marveled at the shininess of the new ones, I thought of my Granddaddy B and that fine March afternoon.

At the beginning of A.D. 2025 we learned the U.S. Mint would strike one last batch of pennies with the materials they had on hand, and that would be it. There would be no more. I’d waited for nearly three full quarters of the year before 2025 pennies, then the occasional dime, showed up. I don’t live all that far from the Denver Mint, and they’ve reportedly been putting out much of the coinage, including Kennedy half-dollars, which I didn’t know still existed. As far as I’m concerned, they don’t. I haven’t seen a Kennedy half-dollar in decades.

What I am seeing now, strangely enough, are all kinds of old coins showing up in the change the clerks drop into my hand. In the last month, I’ve gotten a 1945 nickel, and numerous pennies from the 1970s, half a century back. Quarters, dimes and nickels are of more recent vintage, but it’s easy to forget we are already a quarter through this century, and all those coins minted from 1997 until 2013 or so are already ten to twenty years ago. As it is, I see a lot of quarters from the 1980s and 1990s.

So, the last pennies have been minted. How many years until they’re entirely out of circulation remains to be seen. Based on what I’m seeing now, coinage in general is being phased out. Despite the inflation of the last five years, I don’t come across much change with those years stamped on it. It should be the majority of everything in my change dish, but far from it.

I realize pennies have cost 30o% - 400% of their face value for years already, but that never stopped the Mint from making them. This is apparently the first step towards the cashless society our ruling trash seek to impose upon us. These things tend to happen gradually, and then the next you know it’s the Way We’ve Always Done This. I could very well live to see it. As it is, I’m grateful my kind and generous Granddaddy B and all the people I knew who didn’t live to see the absolute dumpster fire that is 21^st century get to miss this latest depredation.

Any spare change you have is appreciated while it's still worth something.