The Last Penny Was Struck
November 12, 2025
Your trusted resource for understanding what penny elimination means for your business, organization, or household.
Status Update — August 2026
Production: Penny production ended November 12, 2025 via executive action by the Treasury Department. [Treasury FAQ]
Federal legislation: The Common Cents Act (H.R.3074/S.1525) passed the House on July 14, 2026 by voice vote under suspension of the rules — its first floor action since 2025 — and the Senate passed the companion S.1525 by unanimous consent on August 7, 2026 with matching text, so the bill has cleared both chambers. Because each chamber passed a different bill number, the House must still pass S.1525 to send it to the President. The version that passed makes cash rounding permissive (opt-in).
Rounding rules: No federal law mandates cash rounding; Treasury guidance is non-binding. The action is in the states: 25 states and territories have rounding legislation, 20 laws are enacted (Arizona's is the only mandate). See your state.
Legal tender: Pennies remain in circulation and are legal tender indefinitely. [Source]
The Common Cents Act
The bipartisan federal bill behind this site's name — now passed by both the House and the Senate, while states write their own rounding laws
What It Is
Bipartisan legislation that would codify the end of penny production. As introduced it included federal rounding rules — the committee-passed House version dropped them.
Read Full Details →Timeline
Follow the full story — from the bill's April 2025 introduction through the end of production and the 2026 wave of state rounding laws.
View Timeline →Why It Matters
Discover the economic, environmental, and practical benefits backed by research and international precedents.
See Research →What This Means for You
Business Owners
Prepare your operations now
- Update POS systems for automatic rounding
- Train staff on new procedures
- Access free signage and templates
Consumers
Understand cash rounding
- Only cash payments round, not cards
- You can still use existing pennies
- Rounding balances out over time
Latest Coverage
Curated penny-transition news, updated as the story develops
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