At the bottom of drawers, under sofas and in the pockets of old clothes are almost R$32 million belonging to Brazilians — distributed in 1-cent coins. More than 20 years after the suspension of production, around 3.19 billion R$0.01 coins are still "in circulation", according to data from the Central Bank (BC). The quantity is close to the number of 25 and 50 cent coins in circulation, around 3.88 billion of each denomination. However, the smallest unit of the real is practically no longer used by Brazilians, despite continuing to have a value guaranteed by the monetary authority. ?? Do you have any reporting suggestions? Send to g1 The last 1 cent coins were issued in 2004. The following year, the BC decided to suspend production for two reasons: more than 3 billion units were already in circulation and the manufacturing cost was disproportionate. At the time, R$86.53 was spent to produce 1,000 coins — that is, more than 8 cents per unit. For the same reason, the American one-cent coin, the "penny", was no longer minted by the United States Mint at the end of last year. In a decade, the cost of producing 1,000 units jumped from US$1.42 to US$3.69. The 'lucky penny' Ally Bank via AP Weight of what is worth 'almost nothing' The 1 cent coin appears among the denominations that are least needed when paying, according to BC research. According to the institution, the coins disappeared due to hoarding — that is, they were retained by the population. The inflationary history of the Brazilian economy may explain the lack of interest in low-value currencies, according to economist Carla Beni, professor at Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV). Decades ago, concessionaires ran campaigns to encourage the population to pay tolls with coins. “Even so, Brazilians already thought ‘ah, I’m going to carry the burden for something that’s worth almost nothing’”, explains the economist. Today, automatic charging is already a reality at toll booths, while new forms of payment have gained ground. PIX has already surpassed physical cash, credit and debit cards in Brazilians' preference. Despite inflation and the greater adoption of other forms of payment, there is no expectation that 5- and 10-cent coins will no longer be issued, according to the BC Department of Circulating Media. R$0.01 cent worth R$100 reais Not every 1-cent coin is worth just the number minted on the metal. Rare and well-preserved examples can fetch up to R$100 on collectors' websites. The evaluation depends mainly on three factors: Quantity produced; Conservation status; Market interest. "1-cent coins have a very high circulation, meaning that they, as a rule, are not worth much. Their average price is from 1 real each, for little-circulated copies, to up to 10 reals for copies that did not circulate (called 'flower of mint')", explains Bruno Pellizzari, director-president of the Brazilian Numismatic Society (SNB). The market is more interested in “special” characteristics that differentiate these examples from common coins. According to Pellizzari, one example is the error known as “cap”, or decentralized coinage. “At the moment when the smooth disc was going to receive the coining strike, it ‘ran’, a part of the design was not minted and the disc remained partially smooth — these are worth tens of reais”, he explains. "Cap" in 1 cent real coin. Reproduction/ Tenor and Pellizzari Auctions