What happened

The U.S. Mint in Philadelphia Wednesday stamped what the Treasury Department said were the final pennies, ending production of the one-cent coin after 232 years. President Donald Trump had ordered the Treasury to stop producing pennies in February, but the government provided no guidance on how to handle the phaseout, leaving stores and banks scrambling as supplies ran low over the summer.

Who said what

“When it was introduced in 1793, a penny could buy a biscuit, a candle or a piece of candy,” The Associated Press said. “Now most of them are cast aside to sit in jars or junk drawers.” But the real impetus for their demise was cost: Each penny costs 3.69 cents to make. “God bless America, and we’re going to save the taxpayers $56 million,” U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beac

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