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Congress votes to end penny production, sending bill to Trump

Congress votes to end penny production, sending bill to Trump

Rule Changes

The Common Cents Act cleared Congress on September 28 but remains unsigned. It would end penny production after 234 years and let cash transactions round to the nearest nickel.

October 15th, 2026: McClain urges Treasury action on nickel costs

Overview

Updated Oct 21

President Trump has not signed the Common Cents Act, three weeks after the Senate passed it. The bill would make permanent the halt in penny production that began in November 2025 and sets a national standard for rounding cash sales to the nearest nickel.

Totals ending in 1, 2, 6 or 7 cents round down; totals ending in 3, 4, 8 or 9 round up. Credit cards, checks and other noncash payments still settle to the exact cent. Existing pennies remain legal tender, and the bill lets Treasury test a cheaper nickel alloy.

Why it matters

Until Trump signs, penny production stays suspended by executive order only, and a future administration could restart it.

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Key Indicators

$56M
Annual savings from ending penny production
Projected by the U.S. Mint once the one-cent coin is no longer struck for circulation.
3.7¢
Cost to produce one penny in 2024
The 19th straight year production cost exceeded face value; the Mint spent roughly $117 million total that year.
300 billion
Pennies estimated in circulation
About $8 worth per U.S. citizen, but coins have been slow to reach cash registers since late 2025.
13¢
Cost to produce one nickel in fiscal year 2025
Down from 13.78 cents the prior year; the bill lets the Treasury test cheaper nickel alloys.
234
Years of penny production since 1792
The penny was among the first coins struck after the U.S. Mint was established.

Voices

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People Involved

Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Expected to sign the Common Cents Act
 Lisa McClain
Lisa McClain
U.S. Representative (R-Michigan)
House co-sponsor of the Common Cents Act; pressing Treasury to study cheaper nickel alloys
 Robert Garcia
Robert Garcia
U.S. Representative (D-California)
House co-sponsor of the Common Cents Act

Organizations Involved

United States Mint
United States Mint
Federal Agency
Stopped penny production in November 2025; would be barred from circulating pennies if the bill is signed

The federal bureau that manufactures U.S. coins.
United States Senate
United States Senate
Legislative chamber
Passed the Common Cents Act by voice vote on September 28, 2026

The upper chamber of Congress, which approves federal legislation.

Timeline

1792 October 2026

6 events Latest: October 15th, 2026 · 4 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. McClain urges Treasury action on nickel costs

    Latest Legislation

    House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain said the Common Cents Act gives Treasury a path to make nickels at lower cost, citing production costs of about 13 cents per 5-cent coin.

  2. Senate Passes Common Cents Act, Sends Bill to Trump

    Legislation

    The Senate passed the bill by voice vote after the House approved it with bipartisan support on September 14. It awaits Trump's signature.

  3. Mint strikes final five pennies in Philadelphia

    Milestone

    The U.S. Mint made the last five one-cent coins for circulation, formally ending production.

  4. Retailers report penny shortages

    Market

    Starting in summer 2025, stores reported pennies weren't reaching register tills; some rounded prices, others offered promotions for coin donations.

  5. Trump announces halt to penny production

    Directive

    In early 2025, Trump said he was directing the Treasury to stop minting pennies, calling the coin wasteful.

  6. U.S. Mint established; penny among first coins

    Historical

    The Mint Act created the federal coinage system, and the penny was among the first coins struck.

Scenarios

1

Trump signs Common Cents Act into law

Likely Resolves by Dec 1, 2026

Discussed by: The Associated Press; WMAL-FM; The Hill

Trump has backed the penny's end since early 2025, so signature is the expected next step. The bill formally bars penny production for circulation while keeping existing pennies legal tender and allowing collectible strikes. Signing could happen within weeks of receipt.

2

Treasury proposes cheaper nickel composition

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: The Hill; U.S. Mint

If signed, the bill lets the Treasury Secretary test nickel alloys and propose a new makeup that cuts cost without disrupting coin-accepting machines. A zinc-core nickel with a nickel outer layer is a leading candidate since zinc trades well below copper. A formal proposal would likely come after testing concludes.

3

Penny elimination stalls on veto or inaction

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Congress.gov (CRS)

Trump is widely expected to sign, but a veto or failure to act within the session would leave penny production suspended by executive policy rather than statute. A future administration could then restart production. This is the least likely path given Trump initiated the halt.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1857

Half cent eliminated (1857)

Congress directed the end of the half-cent coin under 11 Stat. 163, the first statutory removal of a U.S. coin from circulation.

Then

Production ceased and the coin was phased out of daily use.

Now

Established the precedent that Congress can end a coin by statute, which the Common Cents Act now repeats.

Why this matters now

The penny's elimination follows the same statutory path used to retire the half cent.

1930

$2.50 gold coin discontinued (1930)

Congress repealed the Mint's authority to produce $2.50 gold pieces under 46 Stat. 154, removing the denomination from authorized coins.

Then

No new quarter-eagle coins were struck for circulation.

Now

A rare case where Congress removed a coin from the authorized list entirely, versus simply halting production.

Why this matters now

Shows Congress can eliminate a denomination outright, but the penny bill instead keeps the coin legal tender while ending its production.

2011

$1 coin production suspended (2011)

The Treasury Secretary ordered the Mint to suspend production of circulating $1 coins because inventories had piled up, while the coin remained authorized and legally minted.

Then

The Mint kept producing dollar coins as numismatic items for collectors.

Now

Set the precedent of ending a coin's circulation while preserving it as a collectible — the exact model the Common Cents Act applies to the penny.

Why this matters now

The penny bill mirrors this approach: no new circulating pennies, but collectible strikes continue.

Sources

(10)
+4
Associated Press via Daily Independent The Hill WMAL-FM Congress.gov / Congressional Research Service The Seattle Times Bloomberg Tax Vending Market Watch Fox News America's Credit Unions Saving Advice