Jar of U.S. pennies on white floor tipped over with pennies spilling out.

The U.S. Penny Is History

February 10, 2026

After more than 200 years, the U.S. government is discontinuing one-cent pennies, primarily because it costs much more to mint them than they are worth. In addition, paying with cash has become much less common. The U.S. Treasury ordered the last blanks — metal pieces from which coins are struck — in May 2025 and rolled out the last pennies in November. Pennies could remain in circulation for some time, but eventually, cash transactions will need to be rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. Once made from pure copper, the penny is now composed of copper-plated zinc.

Cost to produce and distribute one coin in 2024

Penny: 3.7 cents

Nickel: 13.8 cents

Dime: 5.8 cents

Quarter: 14.7 cents

Half-dollar: 34.0 cents

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2025, and November 12, 2025; U.S. Mint, 2024 (Cost amounts rounded to the nearest tenth.)

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