A crowd gathered in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to bid a symbolic farewell to the penny, a coin that has been part of American life for over a century.
The event, organized by financial management platform Ramp, took the form of a mock funeral held at the iconic Lincoln Memorial. This gathering followed the announcement that production of the one-cent coin would cease, as reported by FOX 10.
Attendees formed a solemn circle around a casket, listening to eulogies delivered by actors representing historical figures such as President Abraham Lincoln and First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.
Adding a creative touch to the occasion, a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, crafted entirely from pennies, was prominently displayed. This tribute was particularly fitting, given that Lincoln’s image has long graced the coin, as noted by The Associated Press.
In a unique display, individuals dressed as Abraham Lincoln carried the casket down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, marking the end of an era, according to the Associated Press. The penny, discontinued earlier this year, was honored on Saturday, December 20, 2025, in Washington.
The gathering also included actors portraying Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, alongside a representation of John Wilkes Booth, the infamous assassin of Lincoln, as reported by FOX 10.
The crowd also included people dressed as Santa Claus and Pennywise, the clown from “It.”
Ramp economist Ara Kharazian delivered an “autopsy report” outlining the penny’s economic demise.
The funeral followed last month’s ceremonial striking of the nation’s final penny by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, officially marking the end of penny production.
The penny has been part of the U.S. currency since the very beginning. It was first authorized under the Coinage Act of 1792.
For more than 230 years, the penny has circulated through American piggy banks and cash registers.
But rising production costs – each penny now costs nearly 4 cents to make – and shifts in consumer behavior, such as the rise of digital payments, have made it impractical to keep producing them.
People gather to throw pennies into a casket during a mock funeral for the penny, which was discontinued earlier this year, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
In February, President Donald Trump announced plans to halt the production of pennies.
“For far too long, the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the U.S. Treasury to stop producing new pennies.”
