Final Penny Is Sold, And That Cent Was Worth $800,000

Photo: Govmint.com

India-West Staff Reporter

COSTA MESA, CA – The era of the American penny ended with a deafening roar on December 11 as the final circulating “cents” ever produced sold for a staggering $16.76 million.

In a high-octane auction that lasted four hours, collectors scrambled to own a piece of history marked by the Greek Omega symbol, signaling the end of a 232-year legacy that began in 1793. The atmosphere was electric, with bidding starting at $200,000 for the very first set and refusing to slow down until the final hammer fell.

The night’s biggest surprise came at the very end when the final lot, set #232, commanded a record-breaking $800,000. This single set, which included the last two copper pennies ever intended for pockets and a commemorative 24-karat gold version, now stands as the most valuable modern coin set in U.S. history.

Buyers weren’t just paying for the metal; the final price tag for the entire auction was nearly 80 times the actual value of the gold, proving that the nostalgia of the humble penny carries a massive premium.

For many, this wasn’t just a financial transaction but the closing of a chapter on an American icon.

Even the experts at Stack’s Bowers Galleries, headquartered here, who handle multi-million dollar rarities daily, admitted the “Omega” pennies captured the public imagination like nothing else. As the copper-plated era officially vanishes from production, these final coins have transitioned from common pocket change into the crown jewels of the world’s most elite collections.