President Donald Trump announced that the United States will stop producing new pennies, saying the coin has become too expensive to make and no longer useful. The news spread quickly, many people started talking about what this change could mean for any future purchases. 

During his statement on Feb. 9, 2025 in Washington, D.C, Trump explained why the government is taking this step. “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful!” according CNBC. The materials and production costs have increased over the years. Continuing to make the large amounts of pennies cost the government way more than the coins are valued.

The biggest question for people is whether stores will round cash to the nearest nickel. Most economists say it won’t affect what people pay, but some shoppers are still concerned. According to Al Jazeera, economist Sean Snaith said, “I think at some point in history cancelling the penny would have been a bigger deal, but now people don’t even carry them in their pockets.” People who support the decision say the penny isn’t useful anymore; it just collects dust by sitting in jars or pockets instead of being spent. 

Even though pennies will remain legal to use, no new ones will be made. For many Americans, the idea of losing the penny feels strange, since it has been part of the country for over a century. For others, it’s a good idea and beneficial.