{"id":386160,"date":"2025-11-17T22:22:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T22:22:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/386160\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T22:22:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T22:22:13","slug":"after-230-years-the-u-s-penny-is-retired-what-to-do-with-the-ones-you-still-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/386160\/","title":{"rendered":"After 230 Years, The U.S. Penny Is Retired\u2014What To Do With The Ones You Still Have"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Dolly Parton<\/a> once sang, \u201cIf teardrops were pennies and heartaches were gold, I’d have all the riches my pockets would hold.\u201d These days, though, even Dolly\u2019s pockets would be a little lighter. As of November 12, the U.S. Mint pressed its final circulating penny<\/a>. The move comes after President Trump instructed the Treasury Department to halt production because the coin now costs more to make than it\u2019s worth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>, 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<\/a> has more practical implications for shoppers than sentimental ones.<\/p>\n

Are Retailers Changing Prices?<\/p>\n

It probably won\u2019t surprise you that there hasn\u2019t been a single, unified response from retailers. Some national brands with strong Southern footprints\u2014including Georgia-based Auntie Anne\u2019s, Cinnabon<\/a>, Jamba, and Carvel\u2014have already announced they\u2019ll round prices<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

The good news is that shoppers won\u2019t suddenly be stuck with unusable coins. \u201cYes 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,\u201d says Harker. Most major retailers have confirmed they\u2019ll continue to take pennies at checkout, so the coin\u2019s retirement won\u2019t cause immediate chaos.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t notice any difference.<\/p>\n

What Should You Do With Your Pennies?<\/p>\n

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<\/a>. Stores, banks, and most coin-counting machines will continue accepting them, so there\u2019s no rush to dump out your change jar.<\/p>\n

As Harker explains, \u201cPennies aren\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

In practical terms, pennies won\u2019t vanish overnight. Instead, they\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n

So what should you actually do with the ones you have?<\/p>\n