penny

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Family Finds Small Fortune in Late Man's Home, All in Pennies

And the 1 million coins are worth more than $10K—they're made of pure copper

(Newser) - For years, California real estate agent John Reyes, his wife, and members of her extended family have been slowly (as their schedules allow) cleaning out the home of her late father, Fritz, located in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles. One find in particular, however, in the deceased German immigrant'...

He Lost His Wallet. Then Came the Penny Deposits
He Lost His Wallet. Then
He Noticed His Bank Account
in case you missed it
Oct 19, 2019 7:00 AM CDT

He Lost His Wallet. Then He Noticed His Bank Account

A stranger got creative and made 4 separate penny deposits to contact him

(Newser) - When Tim Cameron lost his wallet on the way home from work on Monday, the London resident assumed it was gone for good, particularly as it contained little identifying information. Then he looked at his bank account. Enter an ingenious Good Samaritan by the name of Simon. As Mashable reports,...

Penny Found in Cafeteria Change Is 'the Holy Grail'

Rare 1943 copper penny will sell for at least $120K

(Newser) - The year on the reddish penny 16-year-old Don Lutes Jr. spotted in the change he got at his high school cafeteria in Pittsfield, Mass., in 1947 stood out—1943. That year, amid the backdrop of World War II, the US Treasury minted zinc-coated steel pennies in an effort to conserve...

US Mint Lost $69M Making Pennies Last Year

It cost $0.0182 to make each one

(Newser) - It costs more than a penny to make a penny. The US Mint produced more than 8.4 billion of the one-cent coins last year, at a cost of $0.0182 each with production costs and shipping taken into account. That means $69 million was lost when compared to the...

This Pretty Penny Could Cost You
This Pretty Penny
Could Cost You
Jan 4, 2017 9:33 AM CST

This Pretty Penny Could Cost You

Only one unbroken glass penny remains

(Newser) - A rare glass penny is set to go on the auction block, but if you're thinking of bidding, it will cost you. The AP reports that the US Mint, faced with a copper shortage at the beginning of World War II, approved experiments to make pennies from other metals,...

You Shouldn't Ignore That Penny on the Ground

Ally Bank promotion is to 'demonstrate the importance of valuing every cent'

(Newser) - Stopping to pick up a stray penny off the ground may not seem worth the effort, yet one bank is trying to change that mindset by placing 100 fake pennies across the country worth $1,000 apiece. Ally Bank says it's hoping to encourage Americans to look for opportunities...

Penny Might Go the Way of the Dodo

Treasury secretary detailed plan to eliminate coin in 2015 memo

(Newser) - Now might not be the best time to invest in zinc. The US could be following in Canada's footsteps —and those of a host of other countries, per Quartz —in ridding itself of the pricey penny, according to a March 2015 memo sent to President Obama. In...

Man Cashes in 500K Lucky Pennies

Otha Anders' $5K fortune will help pay off a dental bill

(Newser) - Otha Anders picked up his first lucky penny more than 45 years ago. Since then, he's gone out of his way to get as many as possible, each one a "God-given incentive reminding me to always be thankful," the 73-year-old tells the News-Star of Monroe, La. "...

Beverly Hills Man Pays $4.8M for 26 Cents in Coins

Kevin Lipton paid the prettiest penny ever for a one-cent piece

(Newser) - One man's cash is another man's treasure. Just ask Kevin Lipton, a Beverly Hills man who placed the winning bid of $2,585,000 for a rare penny last Thursday. Lipton doesn't find anything unusual about paying so much for this rare Birch Cent , one of only...

This Is the Least Valuable Coin in the World

And you thought the penny was paltry...

(Newser) - The Canadian mint has started its effort to wipe the penny from existence, and plenty of people in the US (including President Obama ) would like to do the same . But the BBC reminds us that the one-cent piece isn't the smallest to change hands in US history—the...

Canadian Pennies Are No More
 Canadian Pennies Are No More 
Feb 4, 2013 8:14 AM CST

Canadian Pennies Are No More

Mint stops distributing coins today

(Newser) - That's it for Canada's penny: Today is the last day the coin will be distributed after minting stopped in May as a cost-saving measure . Still, there are 6 billion pennies in circulation, so they could be around for a long time: "We estimate three to four years"...

Penny Costs 2 Cents to Make, Mint Stumped on Fix

2 years of testing returns no usable alternative

(Newser) - A penny costs more than two cents and a nickel costs more than 11 cents to make and distribute. The Mint is trying to figure out how to produce coins more cheaply without sparing our change's quality and durability, or altering its size and appearance—and its initial findings...

Mint Tells Singer to Pay for Using Photo of Pennies

But Canadian government backs down as he launches penny drive

(Newser) - A folk singer was stunned when penny-pinchers at the Royal Canadian Mint told him he would have to pay for using pennies in a photo on the cover of his new album. Nova Scotia singer Dave Gunning was told that there would be no charge for the first 2,000...

Canada Phasing Out Pennies
 Canada Phasing Out Pennies 
Mar 30, 2012 12:01 AM CDT

Canada Phasing Out Pennies

Coin has become a nuisance: government

(Newser) - The Canadian government has decided to save millions of dollars by pinching the penny out of existence. The Royal Canadian Mint—which makes 25 pennies per Canadian every year, at a cost of 1.5 cents per coin—will stop producing pennies next month, and the government will start withdrawing...

Let's Replace Dollar Bills With Coins

And while we're at, it's time to ditch pennies, too: Los Angeles Times

(Newser) - Here's a quick way to cut government spending: Stop making one-dollar bills. Switching to coins could save us some $5.5 billion over 30 years, write the editors of the Los Angeles Times . That's the lifespan of a coin, while a paper dollar lasts only 3 years. Want...

Amid Debt Mess, Renewed Calls to Kill the Lowly Penny

Gov't could save millions each year by dropping the one-cent coin

(Newser) - Calls to ditch the penny—which cost 1.79 cents apiece to manufacture last year—are nothing new . But with budget-slashing and debt-reducing on America's mind, proponents of the move are renewing their call, reports Politico . So is the time finally right? Many think so. The US Mint lost...

5 Common-Sense Bills We Need to Pass
 5 Common-Sense 
 Bills We Need to Pass 
ezra klein
May 15, 2011 5:13 AM CDT

5 Common-Sense Bills We Need to Pass

Here's two: Let's vote on weekends and stop making pennies

(Newser) - Ezra Klein uses his Washington Post column to give a push to what he sees as logical bills languishing for lack of "partisan passion." Among his first No-Brainer Awards:
  • Weekend voting: A bill from Rep. Steve Israel and outgoing Sen. Herb Kohl would end the outdated silliness of
...

Bizarre New Design Ruins Our 'Humble Penny'
Bizarre New Design Ruins Our 'Humble Penny'
opinion
Feb 19, 2010 1:42 PM CST

Bizarre New Design Ruins Our 'Humble Penny'

No more Lincoln Memorial? What a shame

(Newser) - The newly designed penny continues the long tradition of ugly-looking US currency, writes William Bostwick. The front of the 2010 cent looks generally the same, but the back now has a Union shield in place of the Lincoln Memorial. That's only "the most emotionally and socially charged building in...

Now 100, Lincoln Penny Was First With 'Heads'

'Monarchical' fears long prevented use of presidents

(Newser) - As Honest Abe's 200th birthday approaches, his likeness in our pockets is often disregarded. But the 100-year-old Lincoln penny is actually an American artistic milestone: Its debut marked the first appearance of a real person on a US coin, the New York Times reports. After the nation’s birth, putting...

IRS Notice Stuns Lawyer: 'You Owe Us a Penny'

(Newser) - Washington may be loaning billions to automakers, but a Detroit lawyer? He has to pay an IRS bill of 5 cents, the Detroit Free Press reports. James Howarth was busy tallying the cost of paying his debt—which is "several hundred percent over the nickel," he said—...

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