U.S. Will Make Its Last Batch of Pennies Ever Next Year

We've always heard this is something the United States government has discussed, but let's be honest, did you ever really think it would happen?

I mean, they're pennies. However, according to NPR, the U.S. Mint will produce one more round early next year and then stop making them forever.

I think we'll be okay managing with the 114 billion that are already in circulation, plus this new batch being minted in early 2026.

You see, every penny costs nearly four cents to make, so this is supposed to save a bunch of money. And when I say bunch, I mean around $56 million annually.

WHAT ENDING PENNY PRODUCTION MEANS FOR YOU

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, less than 20% of all transactions are made with cash.

Pricing on all the stuff we buy, from a pack of gum to a car, will have to be rounded up (or down) in five-cent increments. Obviously, this doesn't matter if you're using a credit or debit card, but since cash will always be legal tender, then prices will have to change.

According to People Magazine, the penny has become pricier to make, going from 1.3 cents each to produce to 3.7 cents each.

The Treasury has said that state and local governments will be responsible for providing guidance to retailers so that sales taxes are properly collected.

According to the U.S. Mint, it lost $85 million producing 3 billion pennies in 2024.

Actually, for those against the penny, America is a bit late to the party. According to NPR, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia have already eliminated their one-cent coins.

PENNY HISTORY FUN FACTS

The U.S. rolled out the penny for the first time in 1793, more than 230 years ago. President Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be featured on a coin, which was the penny, starting in 1909. That was the centennial of his birth.

Pennies were 100% copper until 1857. Their composition slowly changed through the decades. The last change occurred in 1982, when they became 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper plating.