End of the Penny

After more than 230 years, the United States Mint has stopped producing new pennies. The last circulating one-cent coins were pressed in November 2025. Pennies are still legal to use, and there are billions already in circulation, but no new ones are being made. With the end of penny production, many consumers are wondering how it will affect daily transactions and what to do with the loose change they already have.

What the End of Penny Production Means for Your Wallet and Your Coin Jar

The end of penny production brings a few practical changes for consumers and businesses. It also creates a good reason to finally deal with that jar, bucket, or coffee can full of coins at home.

So what does that actually mean for everyday spending, those $19.99 price tags, and the giant jar of coins sitting in your kitchen or basement? Let’s break it down.

Why the U.S. Stopped Making Pennies

The short answer: they cost more to make than they are worth, and consumers use them less than they used to.

• They cost more than one cent to produce. Recent reports from the U.S. Mint show it costs several cents to manufacture and distribute each penny.
• Many pennies do not stay in circulation. They often end up in jars, drawers, cupholders, and coin buckets instead of being used in everyday transactions.
• Digital payments are more common. Debit cards, credit cards, mobile wallets, and payment apps make exact penny change less important for many purchases.

With production costs rising and penny use declining, the government stopped minting new pennies for everyday circulation.

Will Prices Go Up Without Pennies?

This is the first thing many people worry about: “If there are no new pennies, won’t everything just get rounded up?”

In other countries that eliminated their lowest-value coin, prices did not suddenly spike. Instead, cash transactions began using simple rounding rules.

While the U.S. may handle this differently, other countries have used rounding rules like this for cash purchases only:

• Totals ending in .01 or .02 round down to .00
• Totals ending in .03 or .04 round up to .05
• Totals ending in .06 or .07 round down to .05
• Totals ending in .08 or .09 round up to .10

Over time, this usually balances out. Sometimes a cash total rounds down. Sometimes it rounds up.

Important: Rounding typically applies to cash totals only. When you pay with a debit card, credit card, or electronic transfer, your purchase can still be charged to the exact cent.

What Happens to $19.99 and Other “.99” Prices?

Don’t expect $19.99 to disappear anytime soon.

Those “.99” and “.95” prices exist because of pricing psychology, not because we had a one-cent coin. Retailers use them because many shoppers read $19.99 as feeling closer to $19 than $20.

Here’s what will likely continue:

• Price tags will still show cents. You will still see prices like $4.99, $9.99, and $19.99.
• Electronic payments can stay exact. If you pay by card or digitally, you can still be charged the exact amount.
• Cash totals may be rounded at the end. If rounding rules are used, they would likely apply to the final cash total, not each individual item.

The end of penny production does not mean every $19.99 item becomes $20.00. It mainly changes how cash change may be handled.

What Should You Do with Your Pennies?

Now for the practical question: what should you do with jars, buckets, and coffee cans full of pennies?

Pennies are still legal tender, and they still add up. Here are a few options:

• Use a coin-counting machine. PDCU members can bring mixed coins to participating branches and use a coin machine for a 3% service fee. No sorting or rolling required.
• Spend them gradually. You can still use pennies where they are accepted, including some self-checkout lanes or coin-accepting kiosks.
• Save a few as keepsakes. You may want to keep pennies from meaningful years, such as birth years, anniversaries, or final production years.

At People Driven Credit Union, you do not need to roll coins to use a coin machine. Bring in your loose change, pour it into the machine, and let it count the coins for you.

How People Driven Credit Union Can Help with Your Coin Jar

If you are ready to turn loose change into something useful, People Driven Credit Union can help.

Coin-counting machines are available at three of our five branch locations:

• Southfield Branch
• Warren Branch
• Ypsilanti Branch

PDCU members can use coin-counting machines at participating branches for a 3% service fee. Bring in your mixed coins, pour them into the machine, and get a printed total. No sorting or rolling required.

Our Romeo Branch and Livonia Branch do not currently have coin machines. Team members at those locations can help you explore other options for depositing or exchanging coins through People Driven Credit Union.

Availability of coin-counting services, fees, and terms may change over time. For the latest details, please visit our Locations & Hours page or contact your local branch.

Once your coins are counted, you can:

• Deposit the funds into a savings account and start building toward your next goal.
• Make an extra payment toward a loan or credit card balance.
• Set aside a small amount for spending and save the rest.

Tips for Navigating a Future with Fewer Pennies

Here are a few simple ways to adjust as pennies become less common in everyday transactions:

• Use electronic payments when possible. Paying with your debit card, credit card, or digital wallet helps keep transactions exact.
• Do not stress over a cent or two. If cash rounding is used, it is designed to balance out over time.
• Turn small change into real progress. A jar of coins may not feel like much, but it can be a helpful start for a savings goal or an extra payment.
• Teach kids about money. The end of penny production is a useful conversation starter about saving, inflation, currency, and how money changes over time.

We’re Here to Help

Whether you are feeding a jar through a coin machine, cleaning out the car’s cupholders, or figuring out how changes in currency affect your wallet, People Driven Credit Union is here to help.

If you have questions about depositing coins, opening a savings account, or building a plan for your money, stop by any branch or contact us.

This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, or investment advice.