The End of the Penny: What It Means for You

Change is coming. The U.S. Treasury plans to stop making pennies in 2026 as part of a nationwide move toward efficiency and cost savings. Pennies will be accepted for use for now, but over time, they'll become less common in everyday transactions as the Federal Reserve distributes the remaining supply.

What’s Happening

• The U.S. Mint will stop producing new pennies in 2026.
• The Federal Reserve will distribute existing penny inventory until supplies are depleted.
• Availability will vary by region and may decline over the coming months.

River Bank & Trust’s Plan

• Penny orders will continue while supplies last.
• Penny orders are limited to $25 per week per customer through November 1, 2025.
• After November 1, we will stop placing penny orders and reserve remaining coins for teller drawers to support daily transactions.
• We will continue to accept penny deposits and use them for transactions as long as possible.

For Consumers

• You can continue to use and deposit pennies. They remain legal tender.
• Over time, you may see cash transactions rounded to the nearest nickel.
• If you've been saving pennies, now's a good time to deposit them - we will gladly accept rolled coins from our customers.
• Expect small adjustments in change when paying with cash as the transition continues.

For Businesses

• Review your cash-handling and change-making policies to prepare for rounding where needed.
• Check your point-of-sale or register systems to ensure they can support nickel rounding.
• Communicate any pricing or rounding updates clearly with your customers.
• Plan ahead for reduced penny availability in your future coin orders.
• Keep depositing pennies to help maintain local coin circulation.

As always, River Bank & Trust is here to help guide you through changes big and small. We appreciate your patience as we make this transition together.