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The majority of modern-day vending machines do not accept pennies, further diminishing their energy, and the production expense (figured in U.S. Dollars) now exceeds the stated value of the coin, caused by increasing inflation. In Did you see this? and 2006, for example, United States Representative Jim Kolbe (R) of Arizona presented costs which would have stopped production of pennies (in 2001, the Legal Tender Modernization Act, and in 2006, the Currency Overhaul for an Industrious Country [COIN] Act).


pennies and U.S. nickels for profit, the U.S. Mint, which is a part of the US Department of the Treasury, carried out new policies on December 14, 2006, which criminalize the melting of cents and nickels and place limits on export of the coins. Lawbreakers can be punished with a fine of up to $10,000 USD and/or imprisoned for an optimum of 5 years.
The Secretary of the Treasury has authority to modify the percentage of copper and zinc in the one-cent coin if needed due to cost fluctuations. For several years, the Mint's production and shipping costs for cents have actually surpassed the stated value of the coin (the Mint's repaired expenses and overhead, however, are soaked up by other distributing coins).

Treasury loses tens of millions of dollars every year producing cents. For instance, the loss in 2013 was $55 million. Expense to manufacture and disperse a cent, in cents 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Expense (cents)1. 79 2. 41 2. 00 1. 70 1. 67 1. 50 1. 82 2.
06 1. 99 When copper reached a record high in February 2011, the melt value of a 95 %copper cent was more than 3 times its face worth. As of January 21, 2014, a pre-1982 cent included 2. 203 cents' worth of copper and zinc, making it an appealing target for melting by individuals wanting to sell the metals for revenue.
