Full Analysis Summary
Final U.S. penny strike
U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach presided over the final striking of U.S. pennies at the Philadelphia Mint, a ceremonial end to more than two centuries of one-cent coin production.
CNN reported that the final pennies were struck Wednesday at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia under Treasurer Brandon Beach.
The Associated Press said the final batch of pennies was struck in Philadelphia on Nov. 12, 2025.
LAmag reported that Beach pressed the final two pennies on Nov. 12, marking the end of more than 230 years of penny production.
Bay to Bay News described the move as following an order from President Donald Trump to cancel circulating pennies.
Coverage Differences
Timeline/numbering nuance
Sources differ slightly in how they describe the final strike and the timeline: CNN says the final pennies were struck on a Wednesday and notes that the last pennies actually put into circulation were struck in June, LAmag emphasizes that Beach “pressed the final two” on Nov. 12, and AP reports a final batch on Nov. 12 with officials showing “two of the final five pennies.” Bay to Bay takes a broader framing by saying production “will soon stop” after a presidential order. These are reporting differences about dates and counts rather than direct contradictions about the event itself.
Penny production cost rationale
Officials and the administration have pointed to production costs as the central rationale for ending penny minting.
LAmag reported that the Trump administration ordered the halt, saying minting pennies is wasteful because it now costs nearly four cents to produce a one-cent coin.
Bay to Bay News likewise noted it costs nearly four cents to make a penny and that the Treasury estimates stopping production will save about $56 million a year on materials.
CNN reported the directive followed President Donald Trump’s February instruction to stop production because each penny now costs nearly four cents to make.
Coverage Differences
Emphasis on savings vs. offsets
Some outlets emphasize projected savings while others stress potential offsets or trade‑offs. LAmag and Bay to Bay highlight the Treasury estimate that stopping production will “save taxpayers about $56 million a year,” whereas CNN cautions that “Savings from eliminating the one‑cent coin may be offset by increased production of nickels, which cost more to mint.” These differences reflect a focus on net fiscal impact (LAmag/Bay to Bay) versus practical cost‑tradeoffs and secondary effects (CNN).
Penny phaseout retail impact
The phaseout is already shaping behavior at the retail level and eliciting mixed reactions.
CNN reported that its removal is causing headaches for retailers, who plan to round cash prices to the nearest nickel or request pennies from customers; in some states rounding could create legal issues.
Bay to Bay said pennies will remain legal tender and existing coins won't be recalled, so they won't vanish overnight, and the Mint/Treasury says production will slow.
LAmag noted Beach's assurance that existing pennies remain legal tender and billions will stay in circulation, and added the last two coins will be auctioned.
Coverage Differences
Practical focus vs. legal/assurance focus
CNN foregrounds near‑term retail disruption and legal complications (“round cash prices…in some states rounding could create legal issues”), while Bay to Bay and LAmag stress continuity and that coins will remain legal tender and in circulation. The difference is one of tone—CNN emphasizing headaches and critics calling the phaseout “chaotic,” Bay to Bay/LAmag highlighting that the coins won’t be recalled and production will only slow.
Penny retirement coverage
Coverage highlights the penny's long history and the arguments on both sides of the debate.
Bay to Bay recounted the coin's origins and composition, noting that the penny dates to the U.S. Mint's founding in 1792 alongside an early half-cent and that today's penny is 97.5% zinc with a copper plating.
Bay to Bay also cited circulation estimates ranging from about 250 billion per the American Bankers Association to roughly 114 billion per the Treasury.
CNN put the retirement in historical context by noting the penny, which outlived the half-penny by 168 years, remains legal tender.
LAmag framed the event as marking the end of more than 230 years of penny production.
Coverage Differences
Historical detail and scope
Bay to Bay provides more granular historical and technical details (founding date, composition, and differing circulation estimates), while CNN and LAmag emphasize longevity and the symbolic end of an era. This reflects Bay to Bay’s broader contextual background versus the national outlets’ focus on the ceremony and policy decision.
Media framing of penny phaseout
Where outlets diverge most is tone and emphasis: some highlight the Trump administration's directive and the fiscal rationale, while others emphasize potential logistical headaches or the sentimental and collector value of the coin.
LAmag and Bay to Bay stress the administration's decision and projected savings, noting the Treasury estimates stopping production will save about $56 million a year on materials, while CNN quotes critics who call the phaseout chaotic and warns of offsetting costs from producing more nickels.
AP's account is more narrowly factual about the event itself, noting officials presented two of the final five pennies at a news conference.
Overall, the sources together document the ceremonial end of penny production while offering different lenses — fiscal, practical, historical, and ceremonial — on what the change will mean.
Coverage Differences
Tone and narrative focus
Different source types shape emphasis: LAmag (Other) and Bay to Bay (Other) foreground the administration’s rationale and projected savings, CNN (Western Mainstream) underscores retail impacts and critics’ concerns about offsets and chaos, while AP (Western Mainstream) focuses on the event facts. Each source reports others’ claims rather than asserting unverifiable outcomes.