The final circulating pennies ever produced in the United States — known as the “Omega” cents — sold for more than $16.76 million during a special auction held Thursday, December 12, by Stack’s Bowers Galleries on behalf of the U.S. Mint.
The historic sale featured 232 three-coin sets, each containing a 2025 Lincoln cent struck at the Philadelphia Mint, a 2025-D cent from the Denver Mint, and a unique 2025 gold penny struck in 24-karat gold at Philadelphia. Each coin bears a small Ω (Omega) privy mark, the final letter of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing the end of a 232-year run of circulating pennies that began in 1793 with the Chain Cent.
Collector interest was so intense that the auction began slightly later than scheduled and stretched nearly four hours, with competitive bidding throughout. The first set offered opened strong, selling for $200,000, while the final and most coveted lot — Set #232 — reached an extraordinary $800,000. That final set included the very last circulating pennies struck at both the Philadelphia and Denver mints, the final gold Omega penny, and the canceled dies used to strike the coins.
With that result, Set #232 is now considered the most valuable modern U.S. numismatic item ever sold, surpassing the previous record of $550,000 set earlier in 2025.
Overall, the auction averaged more than $72,000 per set, nearly 80 times the total gold melt value of the collection. Seventeen individual lots sold for more than $100,000. The $16.76 million total also marks the highest-value auction of special coins ever conducted on behalf of the U.S. Mint, more than doubling the legendary $7.5 million sale of the 1933 Saint-Gaudens double eagle in 2002.
“It’s an extraordinary honor to once again partner with the United States Mint,” said Stack’s Bowers Galleries President Brian Kendrella. “These coins captured the public imagination like few others we’ve ever handled. Even our seasoned numismatists were thrilled to handle the very last pennies struck before circulating production ended.”
The Omega penny sale marks the fifth time Stack’s Bowers Galleries has been selected by the U.S. Mint for a special auction, further cementing the firm’s reputation as a leader in historic numismatic offerings.
