First currency authorized by the United States. First design, suggested by Benjamin Franklin. Pennies from heaven. And, of course, penny pincher. Still, most Americans stand with the zinc industry.
Polls consistently show two-thirds opposing legislation to dump the penny.
For one thing, say penny-defenders, charities get huge amounts each year in pennies. Not that I'm jumping on any official anti-penny bandwagon. We can keep producing them forever, for all I care. But I'm not picking them up any more.