Farewell, Penny! A Curiosity Club Tribute
The penny may be tiny, but its goodbye is BIG news! After 230 years of clinking in pockets and helping kids learn to count, the U.S. has officially stopped making pennies. Why? They cost more to create than they’re worth — and the world is using less cash than ever. But here in the Curiosity Club, a change like this is the perfect chance to explore the history, science, and STEM smarts behind one mighty little coin!
Babe: “Bug… today is a BIG day in money history. After 230 years, the United States officially ended penny production.”
Bug: “Wait… no more teeny tiny copper coins?! But I LOVE finding those in couch cushions!”
Babe: “Same! But here’s the science part — each penny costs almost 4 cents to make. That’s like spending four cookies to bake one cookie. Very inefficient.”
Bug: “OH NO. Nobody should lose cookies like that.” 🍪😳
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Babe’s Fun Fact Box: The Science & History of the Penny
- First minted: 1793 — whoa, older than electricity in homes!
- Material change: Pennies were mostly copper until 1982. Now they’re zinc with a thin copper coating.
- Why they’re going away:
- Cost more to make than they’re worth
- People rarely use coins anymore
- Cash registers + piggy banks don’t get many new pennies back
- STEM angle: It’s all about economics, materials science, and consumer behavior.
Babe: “Ending production helps save resources — metal, money, and manufacturing energy!”
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Bug’s Spin:
“Also pennies smell cool and make good clinky sounds. I vote we keep ONE jar of them for science experiments.”
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Try This at Home — Penny Science!
1️⃣ Penny Shine Test:
Dip old pennies in vinegar + salt and watch oxidation disappear!
2️⃣ Penny Boat Challenge:
Make a foil boat and see how many pennies it can hold before sinking.
3️⃣ Penny Drop Estimation:
How many drops of water can sit on a penny before it spills? (Surface tension magic!)
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Babe’s Big Thought:
“Even tiny things can teach BIG lessons. The penny helped us learn math, money, chemistry, and history.”
❤️
Bug’s Big Thought:
“And they’re cute. I’m keeping mine forever.”