Penny Shortage Hits Businesses, Banks Ration Coins

President Trump’s decision to stop minting the penny earlier this year and the U.S. Mint’s mid-2025 cessation of production and distribution have produced a nationwide shortage that arrived sooner than the Treasury had predicted. Banks can no longer order fresh pennies and are rationing supplies, leaving retailers and cash customers scrambling for exact change. Many merchants are rounding cash transactions to the nearest five cents—often rounding down to avoid legal risk in jurisdictions that require equal cash and card pricing—which retailers say will cost them millions and is creating operational and legal headaches. Some chains are running penny-collection promotions (for example, Sheetz and Giant Eagle), while others such as Kwik Trip have reported large losses. Industry groups say the abrupt wind-down was poorly managed, and the shortage, which surfaced in late summer and is intensifying ahead of the holiday season, has prompted lawmakers to propose the bipartisan Common Cents Act to allow official rounding to the nearest nickel.