Trump's Doge wants to end the Penny

[Doctor Steuss]

I wonder how many were minted so far this year and if any of those are already making their way into circulation.

For 2025, so far there have been 242,400,000 cents minted.

82,400,000 Denver
160,000,000 Philadelphia

[Morsecode]

Can't wait to see the prices on ebay for unopened boxes of 2025's

[frugi]

The order has been given.

https://youtu.be/7V3dJ6LmnUc

[thecrazyone]

I will try to help you guys if I manage to acquire any.

[TwoAndAHalfCents]

I wonder how many were minted so far this year and if any of those are already making their way into circulation.

For 2025, so far there have been 242,400,000 cents minted.

82,400,000 Denver
160,000,000 Philadelphia

Thanks for the numbers. That’s a far cry from the few billion that are normally produced in a full year. The market for these coins could get interesting.

[TwoAndAHalfCents]

I found another related article, but this one brings in the nickel to be part of the story.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/10/business/costs-of-pennies-and-nickels/index.html

Here are a few interesting quotes.

“Without the penny, the volume of nickels in circulation would have to rise to fill the gap in small-value transactions. Far from saving money, eliminating the penny shifts and amplifies the financial burden,” said American for Common Cents, a pro-penny group funded primarily by Artazn, the company that has the contract to provide the blanks used to make pennies.

The company with the contract for the zinc blanks is making it sound like the nickel is really the problem. That says a lot.

During that fiscal year, the Mint tried to cut those losses by making far fewer nickels — only 202 million, down 86% from the 1.4 billion nickels it minted in each of the two previous years. That’s also far less than the 3.2 billon pennies it made in 2024 and the 4.1 billion it made in 2023 and 5.4 billion it made in 2022.

That explains why so few 2024 nickels have been reported here as found.

Weller doesn’t dispute that Trump can order Treasury to stop making the penny. It stopped making the dollar coin for general circulation in 2011 due to lack of demand. But to stop the use of pennies already in circulation would take an act of Congress. And that would require the federal government to buy back the already-issued pennies, which turned out to be more expensive than anticipated proposition in Canada, Americans for Common Cents’ Weller said.

This the first time I heard the argument that the Treasury isn't blocked from producing new pennies, but Congress would have to get involved to actually remove the existing ones from circulation.

[thecrazyone]

I wonder how many were minted so far this year and if any of those are already making their way into circulation.

For 2025, so far there have been 242,400,000 cents minted.

82,400,000 Denver
160,000,000 Philadelphia

Where did you find these stats? I looked and couldn't find them.

[Lemon Thrower]

if they end the penny, ending the nickel makes sense too.

[TXSTARFIRE]

I think I will buy multiple bags of cents and after sorting out the copper I will save the zinc for future transactions. When I go shopping I will bring a pocketfull of zincolns and when the rounding is in my favor I will let it happen, but if the rounding is not in my favor I will use the cents to complete the transaction.

[willy13]

Is it safe to assume that if penny production is ended a $25 box of unsearched pennies will go up in value?

[JobIII]

I think I will buy multiple bags of cents and after sorting out the copper I will save the zinc for future transactions. When I go shopping I will bring a pocketfull of zincolns and when the rounding is in my favor I will let it happen, but if the rounding is not in my favor I will use the cents to complete the transaction.

This is an interesting idea. I'm wondering if it's actually worth your time and effort to do this. And rather just use plastic and benefit from the rewards they offer.

[JobIII]

Is it safe to assume that if penny production is ended a $25 box of unsearched pennies will go up in value?

In theory to some degree yes. But looking at say Eisenhower dollars as an example of coins gaining in value. It will likely take a long time. And aside from the copper pennies, there are likely much better investment options. For box stacking, maybe Nickels are the better choice.

[Doctor Steuss]

I wonder how many were minted so far this year and if any of those are already making their way into circulation.

For 2025, so far there have been 242,400,000 cents minted.

82,400,000 Denver
160,000,000 Philadelphia

Where did you find these stats? I looked and couldn't find them.

https://www.usmint.gov/about/production ... production

In the drop-down, you'll select "Circulating Coins" and then the year you want. It'll give you a breakdown of mintage figures so far, if you do 2025. They're updated monthly, so I assume this is just what was minted in January, and doesn't include anything from this month.

[Slaphot]

I just subscribed to a few 2025 proof sets on the US mint website. Looks like mintage will only be 420,002. They are being released on March 4th and will possibly sell out before that. Going to flip and maybe keep one.

[TXSTARFIRE]

I think I will buy multiple bags of cents and after sorting out the copper I will save the zinc for future transactions. When I go shopping I will bring a pocketfull of zincolns and when the rounding is in my favor I will let it happen, but if the rounding is not in my favor I will use the cents to complete the transaction.

This is an interesting idea. I'm wondering if it's actually worth your time and effort to do this. And rather just use plastic and benefit from the rewards they offer.

It will work for me as I dont use plastic and pay cash for everything. Just a matter of remembering to throw a few cents in my pocket before I go to town!

[coindood]

There's a difference between halting production of the penny and discontinuing the denomination. Sure, Trump can tell his Treasury Secretary to "stop the presses" but actually eliminating the denom takes an act of Congress, since they set the rules for the Treasury. The new secretary Scott Bessent (watch for his signature on our bills eventually) hasn't said anything publicly about Trump comments.

Right now I'm in a wait and see mode.

[Lemon Thrower]

Fair point coindood.

Also, the Wall Street Journal on Feb. 11 had a cover showing costs:

Penny - 369% of face
Nickel - 276% of face
dime - 58%
quarter - 59%

no mention of halves

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

The order has been given.

https://youtu.be/7V3dJ6LmnUc

Long time no see!

[TXSTARFIRE]

You would think that this would take some time to wind down. I imagine that they must have several million (or billion?) cent blanks on hand. They may have some kind of a contract in place with the blank and zinc suppliers. It wouldnt make much sense to just throw away blanks that just need to go through the press.

[Lemon Thrower]

You would think that this would take some time to wind down. I imagine that they must have several million (or billion?) cent blanks on hand. They may have some kind of a contract in place with the blank and zinc suppliers. It wouldnt make much sense to just throw away blanks that just need to go through the press.

Yes and no.

Copper blanks can be sold or recycled. If you turn them into pennies, sure you get a penny back but it costs you three.

[Silver4face]

So my questions are:

1. If you don't turn in the ones you have, do they become useless?
2. Does that allow the melting of coppers to begin?
3. What is the point of buying up rolls of them if they are "going away"?

After production and distribution end, they will still be legal tender for awhile, maybe quite awhile.
Buying up rolls allows you to:
1. Pull copper and sell or trade for profit
2. Pull wheats and sell at flea markets, coin shows etc. Or save the wheats for kids, grandkids etc.
3. The possibility of being able to sell UNSEARCHED bwrs for a premium.

[Lemon Thrower]

In other countries, obsolete currency and coins have been demonetized. It very easily could happen here with pennies and nickels, although I would not expect it to be overnight.

Melt ban lifting probably comes only after the demonetization. That's how its happened elsewhere.

2025 cents may have relatively low mintages (for cents anyway).

[fasteddy]

Wait...why would they demonetize....has any US currency ever been demonetized? maybe if they revalue our currency.

[Doctor Steuss]

Wait...why would they demonetize....has any US currency ever been demonetized? maybe if they revalue our currency.

I think that the half-cent and two-cent pieces were demonetized after they were legislated out of production. At least until the Coinage Act of 1965 essentially brought its status back from the dead by saying "all coins... regardless of when coined or issued" are legal tender. I imagine the legislation halting production could easily amend the existing Act.

Incidentally, the half-cent (when it was killed in 1857) had the buying power of at least 16 cents in 2025 money (CPI Inflation Calculator only goes back to 1913).

This is long overdue. Hopefully if it's done, it's done strategically, and phased gradually though. Otherwise, places like Greene County could have their entire economy destroyed overnight.

[Cu Penny Hoarder]

Is it safe to assume that if penny production is ended a $25 box of unsearched pennies will go up in value?

In theory to some degree yes. But looking at say Eisenhower dollars as an example of coins gaining in value. It will likely take a long time. And aside from the copper pennies, there are likely much better investment options. For box stacking, maybe Nickels are the better choice.

1964 JFK halves... same thing. They were hoarded and plenty around. Basically only worth melt.