You may have heard the old phrase “money doesn’t grow on trees.” Have you ever thought about where money actually comes from? A government agency called the US Mint is responsible for making all the nation’s coins. The US Mint makes, or mints, its coins in Denver, Colorado; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, CA; and West Point, NY.
Some coins have special designs. For example, recently a series of quarters celebrated important women in history. They included Maya Angelou, Sally Ride, and Anna May Wong. This year, the US Mint is preparing more special coins to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States. Coins will feature American themes including the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, abolition [the end of slavery], suffrage [the right to vote], and civil rights.
Photo Credit: Colin Smith/Alamy Stock Photo
This dollar coin featuring the mobile refrigerator is one of the many designs the US Mint will showcase in 2026.
The US Mint will also produce four $1 coins that feature inventions and inventors from different states. One coin shows the invention of mobile refrigerator from Minnesota. You can thank the mobile refrigerator the next time you see an ice cream truck. Another coin features Dr. Norman Borlaug from Iowa. His improvements to farming helped prevent famines and stopped many people from starving. Some of the most famous coin designs in American history will be brought back this year by the US Mint, including the 1804 silver dollar and the 1916 half dollar. Each coin will have two dates on it: 1776 and 2026.
Photo Credit: Designer: Beth Zaiken, Artistic Infusion Program Designer; Sculptor: Joseph V. Noorigian, Mint Medallic Artist
There is one kind of coin the US Mint will not be producing in 2026, however. In November of 2025, the US Mint made its last penny. With more people using credit cards in stores, making online purchases, or paying for things using apps on their phones, people do not use pennies as much as they used to. But the cost to make pennies kept going up. It actually costs around three cents to make just one penny. That doesn’t mean the money you saved in your piggy bank is worthless. Pennies will still be used, but no new pennies will be made.
What Do You Think? What invention or innovator do you think should appear on a coin?
Photo Credit: LisaMarie73/Shutterstock
