The U.S. penny is being phased out, and pennies will become less available nationwide. While this change won’t happen overnight, there will be some adjustments for how cash transactions may be handled in the future.
At Numerica, we’re taking thoughtful steps to manage our coin inventory so we can continue supporting members and local businesses as smoothly as possible.
Why the penny is being phased out
The penny has been part of everyday life for generations, but over time it’s become more costly and less practical to use. According to the U.S. Mint, each penny costs about 4 cents to produce, and fewer pennies are regularly circulating back through the economy.
For most people, the impact will be small, but understanding the change can help make everyday cash transactions feel more predictable.
Penny availability at Numerica
To help ensure fair access across all branches, we’ve put limits in place for penny orders:
- Business members: Up to $100 in pennies per week
- Individual (non-business) members: Up to $25 in pennies per week
- Penny orders are limited to one order per week per member
There are no limits on other coin denominations, and everyday banking services will continue as usual.
What this means when paying with cash
As pennies become less common, some retailers may begin rounding cash transactions to the nearest five cents. This practice is already in place at certain retailers who have chosen to round cash transactions when pennies are not available.
This is commonly referred to as cash rounding.
Here’s what to know:
- Rounding applies only to cash payments, not debit or credit card transactions.
- You may notice retailers request that cash-paying customers pay with exact change and/or implement a penny rounding policy.
- Depending on the individual retailer’s penny rounding policy, transactions may round up or down, depending on the total.
- For example, when paying in cash at a retailer with a round up policy, if your purchase total comes to $10.03, the amount owed may be rounded up to $10.05.
- Prices themselves are not changing; only the final cash total may be adjusted.
As more retailers adopt rounding policies, being aware of how cash totals may adjust can help you feel confident and prepared when paying with cash.
Have a jar of pennies at home? Here’s what to do
If you’ve been saving pennies in a piggy bank, jar, or drawer, here are a few recommendations:
- Use them normally. Pennies remain legal tender and can still be spent.
- Put them toward a goal by depositing them at Numerica. You can bring rolled or loose pennies into a branch if you’d like to put them toward your financial dream.
As pennies become less available, depositing or using what you already have can be a simple way to avoid holding onto coins you may not use in the future.
Our commitment to members
We’re actively monitoring developments and evaluating how the penny phase out may impact our members. We’ll continue sharing updates as more information becomes available.
Written December 2025
Written by the Numerica Financial Engagement Team
This update is part of Numerica’s ongoing commitment to financial education and member support.
