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They came by the tens of thousands. Some in rolls of 50, others fresh out of trouser pockets, still bearing traces of lint. They came in coffee cans, old water cooler jugs and piggy banks.

Many bore the scuffs marks and scratches of lives well-lived, passing through the hands of millions of bank tellers, cashiers and ordinary Americans. Some were worn down so much that their surfaces were almost smooth; others were shiny, in mint condition.

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They hailed from Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver, but all had one thing in common. They were all members of the Penny family, gathering for what would most likely be their last family reunion.

Talk of phasing out the Penny was first floated by the president in February, as a way of saving money. Headline writers blasted it as “Penny Pinching.” Nonetheless, in May, the Treasury Department confirmed that the last Penny will be minted in early........

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