Answer: 6.6 cents

Questions:

• Why do you think that the U.S. Mint continues to produce nickels that cost more than they are worth?
• Some people believe that the nickel should be abolished. What do you think?
• When was the last time you paid for something using a nickel? 

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Behind the numbers (from WSJ):

It’s true that it costs more to mint these two coins than they are worth. In 2017, it cost the U.S. Mint 1.8 cents to make each penny and 6.6 cents for each nickel.

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If you liked this question, you might also like this one:

• On the subject of metals, what's the scrap metal value of a gold medal? 

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About the Authors

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.