By now, most Americans know the U.S. Mint won't be making any more pennies. Some businesses began reporting shortages of the coins even before the last pennies were stamped.
Another possible repercussion of the penny's passing? Some colorful colloquialisms making use of the word "penny" might not make any cents – I mean sense – in the near future.
These days, phrases and cliches coined about the penny are a dime a dozen: "A penny for your thoughts," "Worth every penny," "Cost a pretty penny," "A penny saved is a penny earned," and "Find a penny pick up and all day long you'll have good luck."
Will these phrases fade away? Could the future be a world in which your thoughts cost a nickel or more? Will another coin emerge as lucky when you pick it up off the ground?
As for the saying, "a penny saved is a penny earned," that phrase has already been made moot, in a way. That's because the U.S. Mint had told the Treasury Department in its annual report that each penny costs 3.69 cents to make. That suggests the government earns money by not saving the penny.
