On February 10, 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Treasury Department to stop making new pennies. While some people think it’s a smart move to save money, others believe getting rid of the penny is a bad idea. This decision has sparked a lot of debate across the country.

WHY stop making pennies?

The main reason for this is the cost of making pennies. Even though a penny is only worth one cent, it actually costs about 3.69 cents to produce each one. This means the government is actually losing money. Over time, this adds up to hundreds of millions of dollars lost just on pennies. By stopping production, the U.S. could save a lot of taxpayer money. Many people agree with President Trump’s decisions.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis pointed out that stopping penny production would not only save money but also help the environment. The process of making pennies requires a lot of metal, energy, and transportation. Many experts also say that pennies are not very useful anymore. Many people don’t even pick them up when they see them on the ground. In stores, customers often leave pennies in take-a-penny, and leave-a-penny trays instead of using them.

Penny advocates argue that it helps keep prices in check. Businesses, they contend, will be more likely to round prices upwards than downwards without the penny.

For now, no new pennies will be made. The ones already in circulation will still be used. Congress will have to decide whether to retire the penny for good officially. Until then we’ll have to see what happens.