Could the penny soon be a thing of the past?

Could the penny soon be a thing of the past?

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Lawmakers in Congress from both sides of the aisle are proposing bills to halt production of the coin, but a pro-penny group warns of unintended consequences. "They no longer make any 'cents' at all," Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said.  Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley is pushing to halt production of the penny.  "It's so simple. It costs four cents to make each penny," Merkley said. "Most pennies do not stay in circulati…