It was a good run, but new pennies are no longer being minted as of November 12, 2025. First produced in 1793, the 1-cent coin had long been considered obsolete by many, in part because the cost of making one (3.69 cents) exceeded its actual value. Some have speculated the nickel could be next, and for similar reasons — each one costs 13.78 cents to produce, an even greater disparity than that of the penny — but no formal plans to stop production have been made as of 2026. Cash is being used less than ever before, and loose change in particular feels increasingly like a relic of the past, even if nickels, dimes, and quarters aren’t going away anytime soon. |