Do pennies still make sense? The country’s smallest coin is in big trouble.
The United States has been minting the one-cent piece since 1793. Back then, a penny or two would buy a meal, a dress, even a place to sleep for a night. Today, a penny doesn’t even pay for a single stick of gum. In recent years, Congress has tried and failed to retire the coin several times, but the debate continues. Should we keep the penny, or get rid of it? Is the penny a useful tradition that protects people from rising prices, or a waste of money and resources?
