What's a Penny Worth These Days? Try 4 Cents.

That's right, the copper that comprises every penny minted is now worth four times more than the penny itself as currency. So how long before pennies start disappearing in huge numbers into melting pots?

I have a solution. When the price of copper raises the value of the Lincoln coin to 5 cents, we'll just call it the "new nickel" and stop minting nickels. Easy!