Penny debate in the United States

Common card · No. 388754

A debate has existed within the United States government and American society at large over whether the one-cent coin, the penny, should be eliminated as a unit of currency in the United States. The penny remains in circulation but has not been produced for circulation since 2025. The penny costs more to produce than the one cent it is worth, meaning its seigniorage is negative – the government loses money on every penny that is created. In November 2025, following a February 2025 order from President Donald Trump, the U.S. Treasury halted the production of pennies for circulation, while continuing to mint uncirculated pennies for collectors. However, the coin remains legal tender and in circulation, as only an act of Congress can eliminate forms of currency. Following the end of circulating penny production, the Federal Reserve stopped handling pennies at most of its terminals, leading to regional penny shortages. Some affected businesses began rounding cash transactions to the nearest...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Public domain