PHILADELPHIA -- The U.S. Mint on Wednesday ended production of the penny, a change made to save money and because the 1-cent coin that could once buy a snack or a piece of candy had become increasingly irrelevant .

The last pennies were struck at the mint in Philadelphia, where the country's smallest denomination coins have been produced since 1793, a year after Congress passed the Coinage Act. Officials said the final few pennies would be auctioned off.

"God bless America, and we're going to save the taxpayers $56 million," U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach said just before hitting a button to strike the final penny.

Pennies remain legal tender, but new ones will no longer be made .

The last coin to be discontinued was the half-cent in 1857, Beach said.

President Donald Trump ordered

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