President Donald Trump decided to stop producing the penny earlier this year, and now pennies are running out across the country, according to an Associated Press report.
Producing exact change has been an issue, and banks are unable to order fresh pennies.
While the National Association of Convenience Stores has called for the penny to be no more for 30 years, the abruptness of the move has cost stores money, as stores need to round down cash transactions to avoid lawsuits.
According to 2024 figures from the U.S. Mint, one penny costs 3.7 cents to produce. It costs the Mint 13.8 cents to make a nickel.
In June, the last pennies were minted. The Treasury Department estimates a savings of $56 million by not minting the coins.
