The U.S. Mint struck its final circulating penny on November 12, 2025, in Philadelphia, bringing a 232-year production run to a definitive close. The US President announced the decision in February 2025, citing the absurdity that each penny costs nearly four cents to produce. The final batch of pennies will enter circulation in early 2026, but pennies remain legal tender indefinitely.
With an estimated 300 billion pennies already floating around America, the real question isn’t whether you’ll still be able to spend them—it’s what strategic moves you should make with your stash before these copper-colored coins become genuine artifacts of American monetary history.
The Collector’s Market Is Already Heating Up
Numismatists are collecting 2025 pennies wildly right now, recognizing them as the final year of production. But smart collectors know that not all pennies are created equal. Wheat pennies minted before 1959 already command premiums, with some 1943 copper pennies fetching over $100,000 at auction due to mint errors. The real value play involves pennies from specific years with low mintages or distinctive characteristics.
Pennies from 1982 and earlier were made of copper, while later ones feature zinc and copper, making the heavier copper versions worth keeping for their metal content alone—about two cents worth at current prices. Once minting stops completely, even common-date Lincoln cents in mint condition could appreciate significantly over the decades. Smart collectors are already sorting their pennies by year and condition, storing them in protective sleeves rather than dumping them in jars.
Cash Them In Or Get Creative
For those without collector ambitions, the most straightforward option remains redemption. Banks accept pennies, though some might require them to be rolled or processed through counting machines that often charge fees. Credit unions typically offer better deals for members. Coinstar machines at grocery stores provide instant gratification but skim nearly 12 percent unless you opt for gift cards instead of cash.
The savvier move involves using pennies strategically at self-checkout lanes or paying exact amounts at businesses that still accept cash, effectively spending them at full value before retailers stop receiving them. Some retailers, including Wendy’s, certain McDonald’s locations, and Midwest chain Kwik Trip, are already rounding to the nearest nickel. Meanwhile, creative minds have discovered alternative uses beyond currency. Copper pennies make excellent slug deterrents in gardens due to chemical reactions with slug slime.
Artists incorporate them into mosaics, jewelry, and sculptures. Some people have literally tiled entire floors with pennies sealed in epoxy resin, creating distinctive surfaces for around three dollars per square foot in materials. Schools use them for chemistry experiments demonstrating oxidation.
The Verdict On Hoarding
Should you hoard pennies expecting massive returns? Probably not in bulk quantities. Experts say hoarding pennies is not necessarily practical unless they’re rare, and with billions still in circulation, scarcity won’t drive value anytime soon. Pre-1982 copper pennies hold slight metal value, but melting them remains illegal. The smart approach involves keeping interesting specimens—2025 dates, wheat pennies, anything pre-1982—while spending or converting common modern pennies before businesses phase them out entirely.
