Congress Votes to End Penny Production After 234 Years
Legislation headed to President Trump's desk will formally end the minting of the 1-cent coin, which has become increasingly expensive to produce.
Congress has voted to end the production of pennies, marking the conclusion of the 1-cent coin's 234-year run. The legislation, which passed the Senate by voice vote and is expected to be signed by President Donald Trump, gives formal approval to the Trump administration's decision to cease minting the coins.
The penny, first produced after the U.S. Mint was established in 1792, is now costing nearly 4 cents to make. Ending its production is projected to save $56 million annually. The bipartisan bill, known as The Common Cents Act, was sponsored by Reps. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., and Robert Garcia, D-Calif.
"When it comes to taking on waste and making sure our tax dollars are spent wisely, it’s common sense that we should stop making a coin that costs nearly four times more than it’s worth to produce," Garcia said in a statement.
The U.S. Mint stopped making pennies in 2025, and the formal end to production does not mean they will disappear from circulation. The Mint produced 3.2 billion pennies in 2024.
The legislation also includes provisions for retailers to round cash transactions up or down to the nearest 5 cents as pennies are phased out. This addresses concerns from businesses that have faced uncertainty in handling cash transactions due to the dwindling circulation of pennies.
Additionally, the bill permits the government to utilize an inner layer of zinc for nickel production, a measure that could increase the circulation of 5-cent coins as the penny is retired. Currently, nickels are made from a more expensive combination of nickel and copper.