To those who argue the U.S. penny had no value, some coin collectors beg to differ. The U.S. Mint sold 232 three-cent sets for a whopping sum of $16.76 million at an auction last Thursday hosted by Stack's Bowers Galleries. The 232nd set, containing the last three pennies ever made, sold for $800,000. That bidder also received the three dies that struck those final Lincoln cents. John Kraljevich, director of numismatic Americana at Stack's Bowers, said it was the kind of auction where the items' market value was unknown until bidders made their offers. The auction followed the government's decision to end cent production in November, marking the end of an era for American coinage. The extraordinary prices paid demonstrate the enduring fascination collectors have with historically significant currency.
