2 Coins That Might Be Worth Good Money If Trump Stops Minting Pennies
Written by
Nicholas Morine
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
With President Donald Trump having instructed the Treasury to cease production of the U.S. penny due to cost concerns, as Fortune outlined, it seems that the days of the 1-cent piece could be numbered.
For coin collectors and casual observers alike, the question arises as to whether any existing coins might benefit from a jump in price due to the penny’s elimination. That question is yet to be answered, but there are a few examples that could see a potential jump in price should Trump succeed in nixing the coin.
2025 Proof Lincoln Shield Penny
This is a bit of a gamble, but the fact is that if 2025 does truly end up being the final year of the U.S. penny’s issuance, full rolls — or even better, high-grade examples from NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) or PCGS (Professional Coin Grading Service) — could be worth, well, a pretty penny or more.
Ebay sold listings see PF70 (proof grade 70) DCAM (deep cameo) example sold for $75, but that figure could skyrocket if the U.S. Mint does wind down production of the penny for good.
Ungraded rolls are selling for between $15 and $22, for those willing to take their chances with sending lots of coins in for grading themselves.
Pre-1983 US Pennies (in Bulk)
One thing you may or may not know: It’s illegal to melt pennies down, at this point in time, per BNN Bloomberg.
But that may change in the near future, and many speculators are betting on that being the case. U.S. pennies minted prior to 1983 are comprised of 95% copper, and precious metals enthusiasts are buying these coins in bulk in anticipation of Trump’s order coming through.
Should the U.S. Mint and the federal government end the ban on melting down pennies for their copper content, those holding a treasure trove of the pennies could find themselves sitting on a not-quite-gold mine.
Adam Youngs of Portland Mint said he is selling 40,000 pounds of pennies at a time to hopefuls. “You buy at a discount now, things change in the future, then you can actually capture the true value,” Youngs said.
One caveat: Not everyone agrees.
“I don’t believe the penny’s elimination would affect the prohibition,” said Philip Diehl, former director of the U.S. Mint.
Further, the relative lack of scarcity concerning copper could hamper the aims of speculators.
Bullion Experts Weigh In on the Potential End of the US Penny
GOBankingRates reached out to a pair of bullion experts on the subject of the penny’s potential extinction, and both signaled that it was too early to offer a firm analysis over the matter.
“I wish I had more insight but, I don’t know enough yet about the actual outcome of the situation with the penny to weigh in heavily on it,” said Brent Bidwell of Coin City, operating out of Fort Gratiot, Michigan.
“All I know is that if it becomes a very limited supply that are minted, it will be treated like any other collectible coin. There will then be a market for graded pennies, or even rolls of uncirculated pennies. These could become more collectible as years go on,” he added.
As for Jared Walker of Fluidic Metals, he didn’t foresee any significant change in the price of numismatic coinage — unless the penny’s product was greatly curtailed for 2025.
“Depending on how many [2025 Lincoln Shield pennies] end up being minted, of course it could potentially have a huge impact — similar to how there have been ‘lost years’ for coins, like the Ike [Eisenhower] dollar in 1975.”
Echoing the aforementioned interest in high-grade proof 2025 pennies, Walker also gestured toward the notion that inexpensive proof sets containing the penny could be an interesting speculative purchase.
More From GOBankingRates
