Betty Boop, Excel Olympics, Penny-isms: Our 2026 Valentines

Book tour event details and ticket info here.

An iconic cartoon character liberated from copyright, journalism from the world of competitive spreadsheeting, a controversial piece of US currency. Each year the Planet Money team dedicates an episode to the things we simply love and think you, our audience, will also love.

In this year’s Valentine’s Day episode:

• The Public Domain Day list from Jennifer Jenkins’ of Duke’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain and her colleagues.
• Jesse Dougherty’s article “Between the sheets at the college Excel Championship” which is behind a paywall. Here is Jesse’s substack.
• 404 Media’s excellent journalism on the tech that ICE is using
• An ode to the language of the penny, including songs like Pennies from Heaven.
• The only self-check out that doesn’t waste your time.
• And we made public domain Valentine’s cards.

Download THE OFFICIAL Planet Money valentine here.

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This episode of Planet Money was hosted by Kenny Malone. It was produced by James Sneed with help from Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez, engineered by Cena Loffredo & Kwesi Lee, and edited by our executive producer Alex Goldmark.

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