For those who claim the American cent is no longer of any value, some coin collectors strongly disagree. These individuals have paid millions of dollars for the last cent coins to be circulated in the United States, before the government ceased production of this denomination last November. The U.S. Mint sold 232 sets of three-cent coins for a total of $16,076,000 at an auction held last Thursday by auction house Stack's Bowers Galleries. The 232nd set, which includes the last three cents ever minted, was sold for $800,000. Meanwhile, Stack's Bowers president Brian Kendrella said: "These coins captured the public's imagination like few rare coins we have handled." When the cent was first introduced in 1793, it could buy a cookie or a piece of candy. Today, most of these coins are stored in jars or neglected drawers. Nevertheless, they can also represent valuable historical artifacts for hobbyists.
