You're at the checkout counter of your local grocery store, and the total comes to $10.02. You reach for two cents, only to notice a sign taped to the card reader: "Penny shortage in effect; all cash transactions will be rounded."
This is the new fiscal reality for many American consumers. On November 12, 2025, the United States Treasury minted its final penny, following a presidential directive aimed at cutting the mounting costs of coin production.
