Slightly off topic: Pennies cost more than 1 cent to make.
This week the cost of the metals in a penny rose above 0.8 cents, more than twice the value of last fall. Because the government spends at least another six-tenths of a cent — above and beyond the cost of the metal — to make each penny, it will lose nearly half a cent on each new one it mints.
A penny for your thoughts, and 1.4 cents for the penny
(Currently, a pre 1964 half dollar (90% silver) is worth almost five dollars on the silver value alone. Three half dollars weigh just over an ounce.)