As new payment methods such as credit and debit have been introduced and popularised throughout the past decades, the United States’ cash and coins have remained relevant to this day. However, adapting to the developing nation is bound to affect traditional practices, evident by the stoppage of penny production on Nov. 12, 2025.

Pennies have been in production for more than 230 years now, first introduced in 1793. Since its original face value of one cent, the cost of producing a single penny has risen to 3.69 cents as a result of factors like inflation.  According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, the increased production cost caused a loss of $85.3 million dollars for the U.S. Mint in 2024. As a result, in Feb. of 2025, President Donald Trump announced that pennies would be halting production soon.

Despite the small coin value of the penny, it has garnered a reputation as a collectable and good-luck charm. In some cases, pennies may even be of great significance for Americans, such as University of Houston's emeritus professor, Frank Holt.

“Pennies and all coins are embedded in our culture,” Holt said. “They reflect our politics, our religion, our art, our sense of ourselves, our ideals, our aspirations.”
The stoppage of penny production has not only affected the hearts of Americans but also American businesses. According to AP News, shortages of pennies have caused issues with transactions. To accommodate, some businesses have chosen to round up their prices in order to avoid distribution of pennies. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, it is estimated that this change will cost customers an additional 6 million dollars annually.

With the last pennies minted, other coins experiencing the same fate is an ever-growing possibility. The U.S. Mint also lacks profit with the nickel, costing 14 cents for each five-cent coin produced. Additionally, data from the Federal Reserve shows that 40% of businesses in the U.S. no longer accept cash, further justifying the push for production termination.

Coins have contributed to a large portion of the United States’ economy. As technology continues to develop, whether coins lose prevalence in the market or continue to be produced will remain uncertain.