A pair of penny cufflinks from reader Martin Traub-Werner. "I wear 2006 on my left sleeve for my daughter and 2008 on my right sleeve for my son."
As the penny dies, we asked readers whether they plan to hoard the coins for something special. Here are some of their responses. (You can share your story here.)
I glued almost 12,000 of them onto a wall at my cottage in the Kawarthas, as a backdrop to the fireplace. I think it looks really cool and is a great tribute to the lowly penny! (See more photos here)
Jim Roe, Toronto
I won't be disposing of them any time soon. The dates on pennies have been like history flashcards for me. The change in my hand still includes pennies from the 1950s once in a while and even, once or twice a year, from the 1940s. I look at the date and remember one or two things that happened in my life that year - a birth, a death, mom entering a nursing career, dad going away on a troop ship and coming home on another one. You don't think that's worth something?
Lloyd Lovatt, Edmonton
I've been hunting down pennies from my birth year and the years of my siblings so that I could make a ring out of them. I saw rings made out of coins before and I thought it would be a good way to use my pennies.
Samantha Musah, Brampton, Ont.
I already got awesome penny cufflinks made. I wear 2006 on my left sleeve for my daughter and 2008 on my right sleeve for my son. I now give them as presents for special occasions.
Martin Traub-Werner, Toronto
I already have one large jar full and am working on a second. My idea is to will them to someone special, and suggest they do same. Maybe couple, two or three, half dozen decades after I am gone - whoever gets them then will have something very valuable.
Leslie Miller, Toronto
I use pennies as part of a Grade 9 science investigation. The students count the number of drops of water that they can drop onto the penny. This allows the introduction to graduated measurement and the physical properties of adhesion and cohesion. Any coin will do, but pennies are special because we can clean them easily with salt and vinegar - an example of chemical change. All of these are integral to the Grade 9 science curriculum.
Douglas Cope, Toronto
As a copper enamel artist, the best way to bid adieu to the lowly penny for me was to make art: a penny ensemble created with approximately 1,800 pennies. My 1960s-inspired Mini meets Roman Warrior dress with a bit of Victorian thrown in with a bustle and train will be part of a fundraiser for Public Energy – the Wearable Art Show - in Peterborough.
Heidi den Hartog, Peterborough, Ont.
I've been collecting them in a jar since they announced they were getting rid of them. I'm planning to make some penny art!
Felicity Feinman, Ottawa
I would like to get many people to put their pennies in a fund and give it for a special charity of their choice.
Grace Marshall, Toronto
My children were born in 2010 and 2012, and I've found a few pennies from those years to glue into their scrapbooks. I love that my son, coincidentally, will have pennies from the last year they were minted.
Lesley Roy, Victoriaville, Que.
My wife and I have approximately $300 in pennies to use for "tile" on our kitchen floor.
Paul Tetley, Hamilton
I have played penny ante poker with the same folks for over 30 years and have accumulated well over $100 in pennies. We still plan to play with pennies even with the penny no longer in use so I will keep most of mine.
Mike Hancock, Brantford, Ont.
I have a more or less complete collection from 1858 to 2012 (except for the great rarity - 1936 Dot). I will keep my penny collection. The executor of my estate will be tasked with disposing of it. Every couple of years I take it out and admire it. I especially like the large cents from the pre-1920 years.
Llyod Williams, Comrose, Alta.
I am lamenting those brief little thrills that I would get while rolling my change. Coming across an old penny with King George on the front or the centennial rock dove on the back was always a rare treat. Those particular pennies are ones that I have been hoarding for years. Perhaps next time I roll my change, the increasing rarity of the penny will give me pause to throw a few more into the collection than I normally would have done in the past.
Mike Proctor, Lake Country, B.C.
I'd like to melt them down and make one really big penny. Like the Sudbury Nickel.
Matt Smart, Vancouver
We plan to make some penny art by heating the coins and hammering/welding them into unique vessels to use as water features in our back yard, as well as a firebowl and anything else that strikes my fancy and can be incorporated into the landscape
Kelly Clarke-Mcpherson, Fort McMurray, Alta.
Have your own special penny plans? Share your story here