Could inflation be the reason? When I was a kid, we used to throw pennies into the fountain.

The shift from using pennies to perhaps larger denominations or even avoiding such traditions can indeed be influenced by inflation. Inflation reduces the purchasing power of money over time, meaning that the value of a penny today is not what it was several decades ago. This loss of value can lead people to treat smaller denominations as less significant or practical, changing how they perceive and use these coins in everyday transactions and activities like tossing them into fountains for good luck. Additionally, the cultural shift away from using physical currency due to the increasing prevalence of digital payments might also impact how younger generations interact with money.