Ever heard of a million-dollar penny? 

In 2023, a penny with a doubled “liberty” and “in God we trust” sold at auction for $1.1 million. The 1958 coin was the product of a rare minting error. And its curious origin made it a collector’s item. 

With the news that President Trump is canceling the penny—it costs more than its worth to make it—a lot more folks are going to be taking a second look at their coin collection and considering its value. 

We published a report today on how to sift through your old coin collection and see if any of its worth more than its worth. 😂

You might be surprised. According to the Federal Reserve, the typical American household is sitting on $60 to $90 in neglected coins, enough to fill one or two pint-size beer mugs. And Americans throw away millions of dollars in coins like the penny every year, literally treating them like trash.

Before you do that, though, read the story below.

A beautiful minting mistake in 1958 made for one very valuable penny. (USA Today via Reuters)

Monday is Memorial Day, and Cardinal & Pine will be off. So will this newsletter. We’ll miss you, but look for this email to return to your inbox Tuesday. 

Here’s the news that you’ll find in today’s newsletter:

North Carolina’s Stella Adams spoke to us recently about how Trump’s federal cuts will affect her healthcare. (Video by Michael McElroy)

At Cardinal & Pine, we continue to unpack the federal cuts that President Trump’s administration has ordered to clear the path for tax cuts.

One series of cuts targets the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, two significant medical research institutes that drive innovations in medicine. 

Recently, we spoke with one of the North Carolinians who’s concerned about how the president’s moves will impact her. 

Three years ago, Stella Adams’ doctor said there were no more standard options to treat her multi myeloma, an incurable bone cancer, Michael McElroy reports. But she applied for a clinical trial, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and has since shown improvement.

Take a look at what Stella has to say by clicking the gif above or the button below. 

The Cheerwine logo on the side of a Salisbury, North Carolina, building. (Photo by Anne Blythe)

A confession: I didn’t taste Cheerwine until I was well into my 20s. What can I say? Sometimes when you’re young, you’re dumb.

But once I did have it, I found there was no going back.

The cherry-flavored soda has been made in Salisbury for about a century. It’s identifiable not just by its taste, but by its red coloring, which comes from a food dye. 

Some Republican state lawmakers have clearly been listening to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s polarizing health secretary, about food additives. They filed legislation this year targeting dyes and other additives. 

When you take it in the context of Trump’s administration rolling back regulation of PFAS, the toxic “forever chemicals” that have contaminated North Carolina’s water supply in some places, it can be confounding. 

NC Health News has a report on the Cheerwine controversy. Click below to read it. 

1. ‘We ought to do what we promise’: A Veteran forum on care, democracy, and cost of inaction. Cardinal & Pine

“What began as a series panels on care and civic trust became a night of stories—about sacrifices, survival, and what’s still broken.”

2. North Carolina House advances more Hurricane Helene aid in $465M package. WLOS

“The $465 million package, approved unanimously by the chamber just one day after its unveiling, is about half the $891 million that Democratic Gov. Josh Stein requested from the Republican-controlled General Assembly this week.”

3. Forecasters predict 13 to 19 named storms for 2025 season. Coastal Review

“Meteorologists are predicting a 60% chance of an above-normal season, 30% chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10% chance to be below normal.”

4. NC-based ‘Mission Mules’ help tornado victims in Kentucky. WRAL

“A pack of mules joined the tornado relief effort in Kentucky. They’re part of a North Carolina-based non-profit called ‘Mission Mules’ that helps disaster victims.”

Gene Gallin via Unsplash

Last week’s edition was, clearly, a challenge. 

But we have to credit Cardinal & Pine reader Ron Tate for being the first to correctly identify Pullen Park in Raleigh. This century-old park doesn’t look its age today.

We’re back with a new edition this week. Be the first to tell us where we are this week and you’ll get a shout-out in the Cardinal & Pine newsletter next Friday. 

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m a NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Cardinal & Pine is happily free to read for everyone. Your financial support means a lot to us. Donate here.

Send us your feedback and news tips to info@cardinalpine.com