Ideas Beyond the Book

The Death of the Penny: When Money Becomes Too Expensive to Make

November 12, 2025. The U.S. Mint strikes its final penny. Cost: 3.69 cents. Worth: one cent. When your currency costs more to produce than it's worth, that's not a manufacturing problem. That's a money problem. This is the endgame of monetary debasement, and what comes next determines whether money becomes a tool of freedom or control.