New England numismatists have conflicting feelings about the potential end to a coin that has survived more than 200 years of design changes, metal compositions, and increasingly well-documented worthlessness.

Donald Trump has ordered the US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing that each one-cent coin costs 3.69 cents to produce — leading to an $85.3 million loss in 2024 alone. The move follows a push by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and mirrors similar decisions in Canada and Europe.