The Chronicles Of Grant County
New Cash Policy At Your Local Post Office
According to the United States Postal Service, local post offices will display signage in retail lobbies to explain the new penny-rounding policy. (The photograph of the signage was provided courtesy of the United States Postal Service, 2025.)
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The last American penny designated for general circulation was minted by the United States Mint in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on November 12, 2025.
That event has impacted how a number of entities handle cash transactions.
One of those entities is the United States Postal Service (USPS).
A new policy has been implemented by the USPS that will affect cash purchases at the local post offices.
“Due to the discontinuation of penny production, change due on all cash transactions will be rounded to the nearest nickel when pennies are unavailable,” according to a statement from the USPS.
That statement noted that “Pennies will still be accepted. If the total cash purchase amount is less than five cents, it will be rounded up to five cents, unless paid with exact change.”
“Amounts ending in one cent, two cents, six cents, or seven cents will be rounded down,” the USPS statement specifically stated. “Amounts ending in three cents, four cents, eight cents, or nine cents will be rounded up.”
Please note that transactions using a credit card or a debit card as well as check transactions will not be impacted by this new policy.
This Penny-Rounding Policy was implemented by the USPS on December 12, 2025.
A statement from the U S Mint noted that “The penny, first authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792, has long played a role in daily American life – from the earliest days of the U S economy to the present. However, economic and production factors, combined with evolving consumer behavior, have made its continued production unsustainable. Over the past decade, the cost of producing each penny has risen from 1.42 cents to 3.69 cents per penny.”
“While circulating production has ceased, the penny remains legal tender,” the statement from the U S Mint continued. “There are an estimated 300 billion pennies in circulation – far exceeding the amount needed for commerce. Retailers and other businesses can continue to price goods and services in one-cent increments.”
One item that has not received much attention is that the American penny will still be minted for purposes other than for general circulation.
The U S Mint noted that it “…will continue to produce numismatic versions of the penny in limited quantities for historical and collector purposes.”
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