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After more than two centuries in circulation, the U.S. penny is finally being phased out. The U.S. Mint has stopped producing new pennies for general circulation after the coin became more expensive to make than it’s worth. While this doesn’t mean pennies instantly disappear from your change jar, it does mark the beginning of the end for the one-cent coin as we’ve known it.

Naturally, this leaves many people wondering what to do with the pennies sitting in coffee cans, piggy banks, glove compartments, and kitchen drawers.

The good news is simple: your pennies are still legal tender. They haven’t been recalled, and they haven’t suddenly become worthless. But there are a few smart things you should consider doing now.

penny pennies coins — Image Credit: cweyant from Syracuse, United States, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

First, Know That Pennies Are Still Spendable

Even though new pennies are no longer being minted for circulation, the billions already in existence are still valid currency. Retailers will continue accepting them, especially those that still take cash. Over time, pennies will gradually become less common as they’re lost, damaged, or deposited, but they won’t vanish overnight.

If you pay with cash, some retailers may begin rounding transactions to the nearest nickel. If you use credit or debit cards, nothing changes; digital transactions will still calculate to the exact cent.

Option 1: Simply Spend Them

The easiest solution is to use your pennies like you always have. If you’ve been holding on to jars of change for years, this is actually a good time to put them back into circulation. Businesses facing coin shortages may appreciate it, and it helps keep the remaining supply moving.

You may even find occasional store promotions encouraging customers to bring in small change.

Option 2: Cash Them In

If you’d rather clear out your stash, cashing them in is straightforward.

Many grocery stores have coin-counting machines that convert coins into cash or store credit (fees often apply for cash).
Some banks and credit unions still accept rolled coins, though policies vary.
Rolling them yourself can help you avoid machine fees; 50 pennies per roll equals 50 cents.

If you’ve accumulated hundreds or thousands of pennies over time, this can add up faster than you expect.

1024px Penny crop — Image Credit: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Option 3: Check for Coins Worth More Than One Cent

Before dumping everything into a machine, take a little time to sort through your pennies. While most are only worth face value, some are worth more.

Pay attention to:

Wheat pennies (minted from 1909–1958)
Pre-1982 pennies were made primarily of copper
Mint errors such as doubled dies or unusual lettering
Specific rare dates and varieties

Pre-1982 pennies are 95 percent copper and are often purchased by coin dealers for a few cents each because of their metal content. You cannot legally melt them down, but collectors and dealers may buy them in bulk.

If you’re unsure, local coin dealers can quickly tell you whether you have anything worth setting aside.

Option 4: Hold Onto a Few for Nostalgia

For some people, the penny represents history more than spending power. If you want a small keepsake from the end of an era, set aside a few coins from meaningful years.

They won’t likely become highly valuable overnight, but they can serve as a simple piece of American currency history.

Option 5: Use Them Creatively

If you enjoy DIY projects, pennies can be repurposed in practical or decorative ways.

Create coasters or trivets by gluing pennies onto a base and sealing them.
Add special-year pennies to scrapbooks or memory jars.
Use them for simple craft or school projects.

Just remember that altering currency for resale may be subject to restrictions, so stick to decorative uses.

Are Pennies About to Become Valuable?

For most common pennies, the answer is no. There are still hundreds of billions in circulation, which means supply remains high. Older copper pennies may retain slightly higher value because of their metal content, and rare error coins will always interest collectors, but typical one-cent coins won’t suddenly turn into retirement funds.