Even more now (11.54 cents for nickels)....mostly “labor cost” tho.. The raw materials to make a nickel are valued at 5.4 cents. For pennies the raw material cost is 0.54 cent. So labor/manufacturing cost drives the cost for pennies to 3 cents. Increase manufacturing automation and/or only mint pennies every 3rd year or so to drive down costs (same for nickels).
https://learn.apmex.com/answers/how-much-does-it-cost-to-produce-current-circulating-u-s-coins/
thanx for that. how nutz are the powers that be ?