The Costly Chaos of Ending the Penny: Washington’s Abrupt Decision Harms American Commerce

The United States is facing an avoidable crisis born from a sudden, top-down decision: the abrupt cessation of penny production by the U.S. Mint. This policy, pushed forward earlier this year under President Trump’s directive to cut wasteful spending, has spiraled into widespread shortages that are now ripping through American commerce. How Did We End Up Penniless at the Register? President Trump’s intent to eliminate costly coin production was anchored in sound fiscal principles—after all, each penny costs nearly four cents to produce, far exceeding its face value. Yet this initiative was rolled out with zero coordination or guidance for...