Just last week, two lawmakers from the Volunteer State introduced a resolution commemorating the
20th anniversary of the zinc-based penny. Fans of this coin note snidely that Kolbe’s home state of Arizona is rich in copper—which makes up a bigger percentage of the larger-denomination coins that might be more heavily used if the penny were discontinued. Kolbe also favors replacing paper dollar bills with longer-lasting $1 coins— and as it happens, the Sacagawea “golden dollar” introduced two years ago is made mostly of copper. . . .