it costs the U.S. Mint 1.79 cents to produce and distribute a penny. The nickel costs the government 9.22 cents. We rate the congressman's statement True.
Every time the U.S. Mint makes a penny it loses more than one cent, according to U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman.
"Currently it costs more than a penny for the U.S. Mint to make a one cent coin and more than a nickel to make the five cent piece," Rothman (D-9th Dist.) said in a statement submitted to the Congressional Record on Nov. 2.
PolitiFact New Jersey found the congressman is right on the money.
Read our True ruling at PolitiFactNJ.com and then join the conversation about it at NJ.com.
You can also follow PolitiFact New Jersey on Facebook and Twitter.
U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, here in 2009, gets a True from PolitiFact New Jersey for his statement on how much it costs to make pennies and nickels.More Truth-O-Meter Rulings
PolitiFact N.J.: Leonard Lance says $15 trillion national debt will nearly equal size of US economy
PolitiFact N.J.: Sen. Mike Doherty fumbles statistic on school lunch program
PolitiFact N.J.: Chris Christie says Newark public schools show 'model is broken'
PolitiFact N.J.: Rodney Frelinghuysen claims millionaires' tax harms small business owners