First produced in 1793 during the early days of the US Mint, the penny was the oldest and longest-lasting US coin in circulation. That was until yesterday.
On November 12, the coin was minted for the last time.
The US Treasury Department had announced the decision to phase out America's oldest coin back in May, citing its current lack of practical use and the production costs, which totaled nearly 4 cents for every penny made, per the Congressional Research Service.
The penny saw countless variations in its 232 years, from short-lived designs to mistake mints. Some editions, often minted in smaller batches or in error, were much rarer than others.
The coin, considered the first type of penny, is thought to have been designed by Benjamin Franklin.
The Flowing Hair penny, or the Chain Cent
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Years minted: 1793
The copper Chain Cent was the first official large cent in circulation, and it was the first coin issued by the US Mint after it was established by the Coinage Act of 1792.
The Coronet large cent
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Years minted: 1816-1857
Issued during the first half of the 19th century, the Coronet large cent showed a young Lady Liberty and was larger than modern penny coins.
Flying Eagle Cent
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Years minted: 1857-1858
The small cent, issued starting in 1857 with a flying eagle, replaced the large cent in US coinage. It was the first of the smaller US penny coins and was made of 88% copper and 12% nickel.
Indian Head Cent
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Years minted: 1859-1909
Featuring a version of Lady Liberty wearing a Native American headdress, this small coin was the last to not feature Abraham Lincoln.
The Lincoln Wheat Penny
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Years minted: 1909-1958
One hundred years after the birth of Abraham Lincoln, the US Mint commemorated his life with the Lincoln Penny, which would become the penny's most iconic face.
Zinc Lincoln Wheat Penny
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Years minted: 1943
During World War II, pennies were minted on zinc-coated steel instead of copper as the US reserved copper for wartime use.
The Lincoln Memorial cent
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Years minted: 1959-2008
One of the most recognizable pennies is the Lincoln Memorial penny, which was minted billions of times every year between 1959 and 2008, per the Department of the Treasury.
Union Shield cent
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Years minted: 2010-2025
The last ever penny in production was the Union Shield cent, which entered production as a copper-plated Zinc coin.
The Union Shield penny began production after a one-year run of four different penny designs commemorating Lincoln's bicentennial in 2009.
