The administration is pushing an effort that would give the government the authority to change the metal content of all the nation’s coins as a way to save money. That proposal, which was introduced in Congress last year, was prompted by the sharp jump in the price of copper and other metals in recent years.

The measure, being sponsored in the House by Reps. Barney Frank, D-Mass., and Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and by Sens. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and Wayne Allard, R-Colo., has not yet been enacted into law even though Mint officials estimate it could save significant amounts of money.

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