美國一分錢生產的時代正在慢慢結束

美國財政部於5月22日宣布，它將在生產超過兩個世紀後開始淘汰便士的鑄造。

The era of penny production in the United States is slowly coming to an end, but Americans will still be seeing one-cent coins in their change for the foreseeable future.

美國一分錢生產的時代正在慢慢結束，但是在可預見的將來，美國人仍然會看到他們的變化一美分硬幣。

>Announcing the phasing out of the minting of pennies after more than two centuries of production, the U.S. Treasury Department said on May 22 that it will begin winding down production of the one-cent coin as part of the fiscal year 2024 budget proposals.

>美國財政部宣佈在生產超過兩個世紀的生產後，從便士的鑄造中進行了淘汰，5月22日，它將開始結束生產一美分硬幣，這是2024財政年度預算提案的一部分。

Despite this change, the penny will remain legal tender, and retailers will continue to use them in cash transactions until supplies run low.

儘管發生了這種變化，但一分錢仍將保持法律招標，並且零售商將繼續在現金交易中使用它們，直到供應較低為止。

Why Is the Penny Being Phased Out?

為什麼一分錢被淘汰？

The Treasury Department explained that the decision to wind down penny production is driven by the need to allocate federal funds efficiently, especially in the current economic climate.

財政部解釋說，減少一分錢產量的決定是由有效分配聯邦資金的必要性，尤其是在當前的經濟環境中。

The department stated that pennies are “severely underutilized,” with an estimated 114 billion of them sitting idle in jars, drawers, or forgotten containers across the country.

該部門指出，便士“嚴重未被充分利用”，估計有1,140億個閒置在全國各地的罐子，抽屜或被遺忘的容器中。

That stockpile could theoretically form a 13-story-high cube of copper and zinc.

從理論上講，這種儲存可以形成13層高的銅和鋅。

“There’s a saying in retail, ‘Never lose a customer over a penny,’” said Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores. “I never really thought of it in these terms, but it applies even more here.”

全國便利店協會發言人傑夫·萊納德（Jeff Lenard）說：“零售業中有句話，'永遠不會因一分錢而失去客戶'。 “從這些術語中，我從來沒有真正考慮過，但是在這裡它更適用。 ”

The Handling of the Change

變更的處理

The move to phase out the penny comes after years of debate over the one-cent coin's economic viability.

經過多年關於單美分硬幣的經濟生存能力的辯論，逐步淘汰一分錢的舉動。

Some lawmakers and economists have argued that the penny should be discontinued due to the rising cost of production and the minimal value it provides to consumers.

一些立法者和經濟學家認為，由於生產成本的上漲以及對消費者提供的最低價值，應停止一分錢。

However, consumer groups and some members of Congress have expressed concern that eliminating the penny would lead to price increases for consumers as businesses round up small purchases to the nearest five cents.

但是，消費者團體和一些國會議員表示擔心，隨著企業將小額購買匯總到最近的五美分，消除一分錢將導致消費者的價格上漲。

A 2023 poll by the American Consumer Institute, a consumer advocacy group, found that a majority of consumers are opposed to phasing out the penny.

消費者倡導組織美國消費者研究所的2023年民意調查發現，大多數消費者反對淘汰一分錢。

The Treasury Department's proposal to cease penny production will now be passed on to Congress, which will ultimately decide whether to approve the change as part of the final fiscal year 2024 budget.

財政部關於停止一分錢生產的提議現在將轉交給國會，最終將決定是否批准這一變更作為2024年最後一財年預算的一部分。

If approved by Congress, the penny will gradually disappear from circulation as banks and businesses use up their existing supplies of the one-cent coin.

如果獲得國會的批准，一分錢將逐漸從流通中消失，因為銀行和企業消耗了其現有的單美分硬幣供應。

The Hoarding Factor

ho積因子

The penny has been a staple of the U.S. monetary system since 1859, when the Union copper one-cent pieces were introduced during the Civil War.

自1859年以來，一分錢就一直是美國貨幣體系的主食，當時內戰期間引入了工會銅一美分。

Over the years, the composition of the penny has changed several times, and today it is made up of 2.5 percent copper and 97.5 percent zinc.

多年來，一分錢的成分已經變化了多次，如今，銅和97.5％的鋅組成。

The coin's purchasing power has also diminished significantly due to inflation.

由於通貨膨脹，硬幣的購買力也大大降低了。

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, one penny in 1860 had the same buying power as about 30 cents today.

根據勞工統計局消費者價格指數的數據，1860年的一分錢與今天的購買力相同。

Despite the challenges faced by the penny, it remains a popular coin among collectors and coin enthusiasts.

儘管一分錢面臨挑戰，但它仍然是收藏家和硬幣愛好者中的流行硬幣。

The one-cent coin is also a symbol of American history and culture, and its disappearance would mark the end of an era in the U.S. monetary system.

單美分的硬幣也是美國歷史和文化的象徵，它的消失將標誌著美國貨幣體係時代的終結。

As the era of the penny slowly comes to an end, Americans can reminisce about the role this small coin has played in their lives and the impact it will have on the nation's monetary system in the years to come.

隨著一分錢的時代逐漸結束，美國人可以讓人想起這種小硬幣在他們的生活中所扮演的角色，以及它在未來幾年中對國家貨幣體系的影響。

input: The U.S. Treasury Department has begun the process of phasing out the penny as part of the fiscal year 2024 budget proposals, according to a May 22 report by USA Herald.

投入：根據美國先驅報的5月22日報告，美國財政部已開始逐步淘汰一分錢，作為2024財政年度預算提案的一部分。

The move, which comes after years of debate over the one-cent coin's economic viability, will see the Treasury gradually wind down production of the penny, which could disappear from circulation within the next few years.

此舉是在多年關於單美分硬幣的經濟生存能力的辯論之後進行的，這將使財政部逐漸減少一分錢的生產，這可能會在未來幾年內從流通中消失。

However, despite this change, the penny will remain legal tender, and retailers will continue to use them in cash transactions until supplies run low.

但是，儘管發生了這種變化，但一分錢仍將保持法律招標，零售商將繼續以現金交易來使用它們，直到供應較低為止。

The Treasury Department said the decision to wind down penny production is driven by the need to allocate federal funds efficiently, especially in the current economic climate.

財政部表示，決定減少一分錢生產的決定是由有效分配聯邦資金的必要性，尤其是在當前的經濟環境中。

The department stated that pennies are “severely underutilized,” with an estimated 114 billion of them sitting idle in jars, drawers, or forgotten containers across the country.

該部門指出，便士“嚴重未被充分利用”，估計有1,140億個閒置在全國各地的罐子，抽屜或被遺忘的容器中。

That stockpile could theoretically form a 13-story-high cube of copper and zinc.

從理論上講，這種儲存可以形成13層高的銅和鋅。

“There’s a saying in retail, ‘Never lose a customer over a penny,’” said Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores. “I never really thought of it in these terms, but it applies even more here.”

全國便利店協會發言人傑夫·萊納德（Jeff Lenard）說：“零售業中有句話，'永遠不會因一分錢而失去客戶'。 “從這些術語中，我從來沒有真正考慮過，但是在這裡它更適用。 ”

The move to phase out the penny comes after years of debate over the one-cent coin's economic viability.

經過多年關於單美分硬幣的經濟生存能力的辯論，逐步淘汰一分錢的舉動。

Some lawmakers and economists have argued that the penny should be discontinued due to the rising cost of production and the minimal value it provides to consumers.

一些立法者和經濟學家認為，由於生產成本的上漲以及對消費者提供的最低價值，應停止一分錢。

However, consumer groups and some members of Congress have expressed concern that

但是，消費者團體和一些國會議員表示關注