The U.S. Mint currently spends about 4.8 cents per penny and 16.2 cents per nickel to produce the two coins and the Mint posted a loss of $187.7 million last year &ndash; more than triple the losses recorded associated with coin minting in 2010.<br />
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Treasury Secretary Tim Giethner has stated that the U.S. Mint intends to remove the penny and nickel coins from circulation beginning early in January 2013.<br />
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For a detailed article on the removal of the coins from circulation click on the following story link:<br />
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<a href="http://goldsilver.com/news/bid-farewell-to-pennies-and-nickels/">http://goldsilver.com/news/bid-farewell-to-pennies-and-nickels/</a><br />