Bridget and Ryan are approached by a big film producer to write the next summer blockbuster — a movie all about the penny! The timing couldn’t be better because so many of you have been wanting to know: why did the U.S. stop making pennies? The answer comes down to dollars and cents. But … will this be “Million Bazillion”’s big break into Hollywood? Listen now to find out.

Binglin Hu

After listening to the episode, try out these related conversation starters with your kids:

1. What did you think when you heard the U.S. had stopped making pennies?

2. When was the last time you used a penny to pay for something? Have you ever been told a store was out of pennies for change?

3. Do you save or collect pennies? If so, how do you store and organize them?

4. If you had to choose another coin for the US to stop making, what would it be and why?

5. *Bonus* Not-So-Random Question: would you rather have money grow on trees or fall from the sky? Why?

For listeners who want to keep the learning going, start here:

• Wondering why we have pennies to begin with? We answered that question in a previous “Million Bazillion” episode. Catch up here.

• If you heard the phrase “intellectual property” in today’s episode and were left with even more questions, listen to our episode all about “IP”.

• “Million Bazillion” is now on YouTube. Check out our channel: like, subscribe, and share with a friend!

Thank you for listening to this season of Million Bazillion. We’ll be back with a new season soon, and that means we’re looking for new questions. If you have a money question you’d like us to answer, send it our way us using this online form. And, thanks!