2016-09-23 Fri

On 8th September, a trailer headed to the Philadelphia Mint from Jarden Zinc Products in Greeneville (U.S. Mint's only supplier of cent planchets), carrying 45,000 pounds of copper-plated zinc ready-to-strike planchets with raised, or upset rims for producing the 2016 Lincoln cents, met with an accident on I-95 near New Castle, Del. and burst into flames.

13 hours were required to clean-up the area and recover the planchets using hand shovels and truck-loaded vacuums. Each planchet weighs 2.5 grams and the recovered planchets were stored at a secure facility before they will be delivered to the Philadelphia Mint.

Officials reveal that inattentive driving was the reason behind this accident