After 230 Years, The U.S. Penny Is Retired
After 230 Years, The U.S. Penny Is Retired—What To Do With The Ones You Still Have
Before you empty that change purse, here’s what shoppers should know.
Alexandra Emanuelli Mon, November 17, 2025
As Dolly Parton once sang, “If teardrops were pennies and heartaches were gold, I'd have all the riches my pockets would hold.” These days, though, even Dolly’s pockets would be a little lighter. As of November 12, the U.S. Mint pressed its final circulating penny. The move comes after President Trump instructed the Treasury Department to halt production because the coin now costs more to make than it’s worth.
So what happens to the smallest form of currency when it suddenly disappears? Will your old change jars become tiny treasure chests? Probably not, according to coin expert Charmy Harker, who noted that our northern neighbor stopped minting pennies back in 2012 and most Canadians barely noticed. In an increasingly cashless society, the loss of the penny has more practical implications for shoppers than sentimental ones.
Are Retailers Changing Prices?
It probably won’t surprise you that there hasn’t been a single, unified response from retailers. Some national brands with strong Southern footprints—including Georgia-based Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon, Jamba, and Carvel—have already announced they’ll round prices to the nearest nickel when customers pay with cash. Other stores are choosing a different approach and are simply asking shoppers to provide exact change.
The good news is that shoppers won’t suddenly be stuck with unusable coins. “Yes retailers will still be accepting pennies (except those that no longer accept cash for any purchases), and I believe they will be accepting pennies for a while, most likely until pennies that are currently in circulation become too scarce,” says Harker. Most major retailers have confirmed they’ll continue to take pennies at checkout, so the coin’s retirement won’t cause immediate chaos.
For anyone paying with a credit or debit card, nothing changes. Digital transactions will continue to ring up to the exact cent, and you won’t notice any difference.
What Should You Do With Your Pennies?
Even though the U.S. Mint has stopped producing new pennies, the ones already in your home, car, or junk drawer are still very much real money. Stores, banks, and most coin-counting machines will continue accepting them, so there’s no rush to dump out your change jar.
As Harker explains, “Pennies aren’t being recalled so they will still be in circulation for quite some time, and whether stores and/or banks need pennies will depend on how soon stores start rounding sales to the nickel.”
In practical terms, pennies won’t vanish overnight. Instead, they’ll slowly fade out of circulation as they get lost, damaged, or turned in for deposits. With no new pennies being minted to replace them, the national supply will naturally shrink until the coin becomes more of a rarity than a regular part of your wallet.
So what should you actually do with the ones you have?
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