At my parents’ house, there's an inadvertent collection that spans decades - coffee cans and empty holiday popcorn tins filled with nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and a whole lot of pennies. It wasn't a stockpile ever meant to be anything more than a culmination of them tossing their spare change aside, day after day, for decades.

Those coins keep sitting still while the world outside changes at record speed.

On May 22, 2025, the US government officially announced that the production of new pennies would end in 2026. This decision comes after years of debate over cost, relevance, and its role in the modern economy, raising some intriguing questions.

First, how will fewer available pennies impact the finances for people who primarily use cash to pay for things?

And secondly, are pennies worth saving, especially now that they're going away?

What's Happening With the Penny?

For years, the production cost of pennies was more than a penny was worth - almost three times as much. That, combined with a declining need for small coins in a digital economy, finally pushed policymakers to act.

While existing minted pennies will remain legal tender, the supply will likely shrink almost immediately. Coins in circulation will be lost, stored, or hoarded - just like the ones my parents continue to tuck away in those old coffee cans and popcorn tins.

How It Might Affect Prices and Making Change

The disappearance of the penny doesn't just affect coin collectors; it will likely impact everyday cash transactions, too. For cash purchases, expect a shift toward rounding to the nearest nickel. How this may play out:

• If your total is $1.06, and you hand over $1.10, your change might round down to $1.05.

• If your total is $1.08, the register could round up to $1.10.

However, this change likely won't apply to digital payments like those made with credit cards or digital apps. Bank transfers would still charge exact totals down to the cent.

What does this mean for consumers?

• Retailers may round prices more often, up or down, especially in cash-heavy businesses.

• Expect fewer .99 or .97 endings and simpler pricing, like $9.95 or $10.00.

• Over time, even small rounding patterns could impact spending, especially for those on tight budgets or people who prefer paying in cash.

It's a big shift that reinforces a bigger trend: coins play a smaller role in daily commerce, and pricing strategies may follow.

Why Some Pennies Could Increase in Value

While all pennies share an intrinsic value of one cent when used to pay for things, not all are equal. Some remain more valuable than others, particularly to collectors. Here's how it breaks down:

• Pre-1982 Pennies: These were made primarily from copper, not zinc. Their melt value often exceeds their face value, though melting US coins for scrap remains illegal.

• Post-1982 Pennies: These are mostly zinc with a thin copper coating. They are less likely to increase in value, but some may hold interest for collectors depending on condition and mintage year.

• Rare or Error Coins: Some pennies have fetched serious money in auctions and private sales due to mistakes or low production runs.

Five of the Most Valuable US Pennies Ever Sold

While it might sound hard to believe, these are verified coins with real price tags:

Note: Prices vary based on condition, certification, and demand.

Why Even Common Pennies Still Matter

Even if you don't strike it rich with a rare find, everyday pennies can still tell an interesting story:

• Many pre-1982 copper pennies are already worth more than their face value, though that value will be harder to access unless laws change.

• The disappearance of pennies from circulation creates scarcity, even among common coins.

• Coin roll hunters and collectors often pay a premium for bulk unsorted coins.
  

Saving your pennies could pay off, especially if you take the time to sort and identify them.

What Pennies Are Worth Saving?

Here's a quick checklist if you're curious about building your mini-collection or checking if the pennies you tucked away are worth more than face value:

• Sort your coins by year: separate anything pre-1982

• Look up mint marks (especially "S" and "D")

• Watch for signs of doubling, off-center strikes, or other errors

• Store coins in a cool, dry place. There is no need for fancy holders unless they're rare.

  
  

If you're sitting on a few jars or coffee cans of old coins, now might be the time to look closer. The coins you forgot about could be a time capsule of overlooked value.

Small Change, Big Signals

It's easy to overlook coins, especially in an era of touchless payments and digital wallets. But how we handle even the smallest forms of money says a lot about the systems we rely on - and how quietly they can shift. Pennies may not move markets, but their disappearance sends a message: nothing stays too small to matter forever.