What Happens Now That the Penny Is Discontinued? Legal Tender, Rounding, and the 114 Billion Still in Circulation

The Penny Is Gone — But Not Really

The U.S. Mint stopped producing pennies for circulation on November 12, 2025, but that doesn't mean pennies have disappeared. Approximately 114 billion of them remain in circulation, and they'll continue to be legal tender indefinitely. So what actually changes? Here's a practical guide to the post-penny world.

A record-breaking pyramid of over a million pennies — a reminder of the sheer volume of cents still in circulation.

Cash Rounding Rules

The biggest practical change is how cash transactions are settled. The U.S. is adopting the same symmetrical rounding to the nearest five cents system that Canada, Australia, and New Zealand already use:

Total ends in	Rounded to	Example
1 or 2 cents	Round down	$5.31 → $5.30 / $5.42 → $5.40
3 or 4 cents	Round up	$5.33 → $5.35 / $5.44 → $5.45
5 cents	No change	$5.35 → $5.35
6 or 7 cents	Round down	$5.46 → $5.45 / $5.47 → $5.45
8 or 9 cents	Round up	$5.48 → $5.50 / $5.49 → $5.50
0 cents	No change	$5.40 → $5.40

Key points:

• Rounding applies only to cash transactions — on the final total after tax, discounts, and fees
• Electronic payments are NOT rounded. Credit cards, debit cards, checks, and digital payments continue to the exact cent.
• Rounding is symmetrical — over many transactions, consumers neither gain nor lose money on average
• Individual items are not rounded — only the final transaction total

States including New York, Arizona, Oregon, and Virginia have adopted or are considering laws implementing these rounding rules. Implementation varies by state.

Are Pennies Still Legal Tender?

Yes. Existing pennies remain legal tender with no expiration date. The Federal Reserve will continue recirculating pennies for as long as practical. Businesses should and will continue accepting them while supply lasts. There is no "deadline" to use your pennies.

Can I Still Get Pennies From the Bank?

For now, yes — banks have existing inventory. But the Federal Reserve will not be distributing new rolls once supply is exhausted. Over time, pennies will become less available through banking channels as they're absorbed into collections and gradually removed from active circulation.

Impact on Coin Collecting

The end of circulating penny production has already affected the numismatic market:

• 2025 pennies are being hoarded aggressively. eBay sellers were listing $0.50 face value of 2025 pennies for $14 within weeks of the announcement.
• Key-date Lincoln cents are seeing increased demand across all eras — from 1909-S VDB through 1955 DDO to modern dates
• Pre-1982 copper cents (95% copper, weighing 3.1g) already trade above face value for their metal content. With copper prices elevated, these "copper pennies" are worth approximately 3 cents each in melt value.
• The Mint continues producing collector pennies — proof sets and special editions will still include cents

The Historical Pattern

The U.S. has retired denominations before, and the pattern is consistent:

• Half cent (1793-1857): Discontinued when it no longer served a practical purpose. Today, early half cents are collected avidly.
• Two-cent piece (1864-1873): Short-lived denomination. Collected as a complete short series.
• Three-cent pieces (1851-1889): Both silver and nickel versions discontinued. Popular with type collectors.
• Twenty-cent piece (1875-1878): Confusion with the quarter doomed it quickly. Now a scarce collectible.

In every case, discontinued denominations became more collectible after production ended, not less. The penny will likely follow the same trajectory.

Browse Lincoln Shield cents in the NumisDex catalog — the final design of America's longest-running denomination.