America’s penny moves closer to its official end after congressional action: According to reports

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U.S. penny nears a formal farewell
The U.S. penny has moved closer to a permanent legislative farewell after Congress passed the bipartisan Common Cents Act. The bill now awaits presidential action and would codify a production halt that the U.S. Mint already carried out in November 2025. Existing pennies are not disappearing from wallets or cash drawers. They remain legal tender, meaning Americans can still spend them, and businesses continue to accept them. Depositphotos
A U.S. penny costs more than one cent
The U.S. penny may be tiny, but making it has become surprisingly expensive. The U.S. Mint says producing one cent recently cost 3.69 cents, one reason officials decided that continued production was no longer necessary. The Common Cents Act would formally suspend regular penny production. Supporters argue that ending routine production could save the government money without removing existing pennies from circulation or changing their legal-tender status. joshuarainey/Depositphotos
U.S. penny stays legal tender
The U.S. penny is entering a new chapter rather than vanishing overnight. The U.S. Mint has already stopped producing pennies. The Common Cents Act would formally codify that change while leaving existing one-cent coins as legal tender. That distinction matters at checkout counters nationwide. People can continue using pennies, and businesses can continue accepting them, even as the supply available for everyday cash transactions changes over time. Depositphotos
Final circulating cents struck
The final circulating penny was struck at the Philadelphia Mint on November 12, 2025, marking the official end of the coin’s 232-year production run. The Mint described the event as the final production of the circulating one-cent coin. That moment came before Congress completed its latest legislative action. Congress has since passed the Common Cents Act, which would formally codify the production halt and establish nationwide rules for handling cash totals when pennies are unavailable. Fun fact: In 1943, most U.S.

pennies were made from zinc-coated steel because copper was needed during World War II. mitsyko.mail.ru/Depositphotos
Why stopping penny production saves money
Cost is a major reason behind the penny’s exit from regular production. The Mint says each penny recently cost 3.69 cents to manufacture, far more than its one-cent face value. The U.S. Mint estimates that suspending the production of circulating pennies will save about $56 million annually. Those savings come from no longer producing billions of low-value coins that cost more to produce than they are worth. Depositphotos
Your penny jar still has value
Americans will not need to empty their penny jars because of the new policy. The Mint says pennies already in circulation remain legal tender and can still be used for purchases. That means the change focuses on production, not a ban on the coin. Billions of pennies remain in homes, businesses, banks, and cash registers nationwide. Treasury said in late 2025 that roughly 114 billion pennies were in circulation and that the Federal Reserve would continue to recirculate them for as long as practical. Depositphotos
Cash rounding gets new rules
Cash purchases may eventually look a little different as the supply of pennies thins out. If signed into law, the Common Cents Act would establish nationwide rules allowing cash transaction totals to be rounded to the nearest five cents when exact penny change is unavailable. That rule is aimed at helping stores handle everyday purchases smoothly. Under the legislation, electronic and other noncash payments would continue to be charged to the exact cent rather than being rounded. Depositphotos
Billions of pennies were minted
The penny accounted for a large share of U.S. coin production before regular minting stopped. In fiscal 2024, the Mint produced and shipped about 3.2 billion pennies, accounting for 57% of the circulating coins it produced that year. Producing so many one-cent pieces required substantial materials and manufacturing effort. Ending routine penny production reduces that workload, while the Mint continues to produce other denominations for circulation and collector programs. Depositphotos
Collector pennies are sticking around
Ending circulating production does not mean every penny is gone forever. The U.S. Mint says it can continue making limited numismatic versions for collectors, even though ordinary circulating pennies stopped being produced in 2025. These special pieces are different from coins made for daily change. Collectors may therefore continue to see new penny products, while shoppers gradually encounter fewer freshly minted cents in routine cash transactions. Fun fact: In 2025, the Mint prepared 232 special three-coin sets honoring the penny’s 232-year circulating production run. Depositphotos
The penny dates back to 1792
The penny’s story stretches back to the earliest years of the United States.

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Congress authorized the one-cent coin through the Coinage Act of 1792, making it one of the nation’s oldest denominations. Early cents looked very different from today’s familiar Lincoln coin. They were larger and made of copper, whereas modern pennies are copper-plated zinc and designed to be smaller and lighter overall. Depositphotos
Lincoln changed the penny in 1909
Abraham Lincoln did not appear on the penny until 1909, more than a century after the denomination began. The 1909 Lincoln cent made him the first U.S. president to be portrayed on a regular-issue American coin. The reverse design has changed several times since then, including wheat ears, the Lincoln Memorial, bicentennial designs, and the current Union Shield. The familiar front portrait, however, has endured for generations. Depositphotos
Some pennies broke the usual mold
Some pennies are far more unusual than the everyday coins sitting in change jars. In 1943, the Mint switched to zinc-coated steel cents because copper was needed during World War II. A small number of copper cents were accidentally struck that year, creating rarities. In 2017, Philadelphia minted cents carrying a “P” mint mark for the first time to celebrate the U.S. Mint’s 225th anniversary. For another U.S. coin update tied to commemorative designs, national history, and Trump administration changes, see why planned coins honoring Frederick Douglass and Ruby Bridges were scrapped. foremniakowski/Depositphotos
What changes after the penny ends
The penny’s production chapter is closing, but its story will continue for years. Americans can still spend existing cents, businesses can still accept them, and collectors will continue seeing special versions from the Mint. What changes most is the flow of new circulating pennies. As existing pennies continue to circulate while no new cents are produced for everyday commerce, retailers and consumers will gradually adjust their cash-handling practices. For another U.S. coin update tied to presidential influence, national symbolism, and minting history, see why Congress forced Roosevelt to restore “In God We Trust” in 1907. Will Americans miss newly minted pennies, or has the one-cent coin already outlived its role in everyday cash purchases? Share your thoughts and drop a comment. This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing. Read More From This Brand:

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The post America’s penny moves closer to its official end after congressional action appeared first on When In Your State.