Senate Passes Common Cents Act, Ending Penny Production
What happened
The US Mint stopped producing new pennies after the last coin was struck in Philadelphia in November 2025. The Senate subsequently passed the Common Cents Act on September 28, 2026, which legally ends the making of pennies. The Act confirms that all existing pennies remain legal tender.
From ventureburn.com
Why it matters
The decision to stop production was driven by cost, as each penny cost 3.69 cents to make, leading to annual savings of about $56 million for the federal government. The lack of new pennies has already caused some Federal Reserve coin centers to stop supplying them to banks, which may lead to cash rounding.
From ventureburn.com
Who's involved
- senatePassed the Common Cents Act, legally ending penny production.
- federal governmentIs the central government whose production costs are affected by the new law.
Who could feel it
Possible knock-on effectsThese are possibilities Brind reasoned out, not predictions, and not advice. Most are not stated in any report.
- federal governmentSpeculative
The federal government could see an annual cost saving of approximately $56 million due to the cessation of penny production.
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The entities involved
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Philadelphia
largest city in Pennsylvania, United States
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senate
type of legislative body, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature