This week, the stalwart of the American economy will no longer be with us as the US mint pressed the last penny on Wednesday.
According to the custodian, the US mint points to cost, and the relative use of the pen, as the reason for ending its production. To paraphrase one kamar one kamar, how much does it cost?
Believe it or not, it costs four cents to produce a pen. While the penny has a better financial ratio than the nickel, which costs 14 cents to produce, the cost is not the same as the penny’s utility. The Treasury Department projects it will save $56 million in production costs per year by replacing the pen.
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In 232 years, Penali was still distributed. Back in the day, a pen could get you a biscuit, some candy, maybe even a candle. These days, pens are very useful as things made for pelt friends too, do magic tricks, and occasionally come in a clutch like money when you pay with change directly at the dispensary.
While the penny has a perceived scarcity, it is still a necessity when it comes to money transactions. Several retailers who have supported the end of the pen have been critical of the Trump administration. “We have been advocating the abolition of the pen for 30 years. But this is not the way we want to go,” said the Jenafle Lenard Association of convenience stores.
The federal government hasn’t given retailers any guidance on how to handle the penny shortage, so some stores have started raising prices to avoid customers shorting out, while others have asked customers to bring exact change if they pay in cash. Despite the Penny leaving circulation, it is still legal tender and can be used in transactions.
I, for one, will miss the pen. While its price was small, it was purposeful enough to throw in a well-wisher’s fountain, fountain, and the occasional pen press at a theme park. This will definitely affect the lucky numbers of future generations, as finding the face of Penny the face becomes bigger and bigger. It’s a shame they probably don’t know the joy of dropping a jar full of pennies into a coinstar machine and getting a CRISP $20.
Heck, it’s already hard enough to relate to Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Before long, they won’t know what I mean when I ask, “Penny what are your thoughts?” In all honesty, I find a pen to be a perfect reflection of someone else’s thoughts. You think I’ll give a quarter or even a nickel to hear someone else’s thoughts, knowing there’s always a chance they’ll tell me a hot dog is a sandwich? Not a chance.
So today we pay our last respects to the pen. While it may no longer be manufactured, you will always be with us in our cabinets, countertops, and bed linens.
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