Common Cents Act

This bill would stop the U.S. Mint from making new pennies within one year. Current pennies would still be legal to use, keep, and spend. The Mint could still make special pennies for coin collectors, but only if sales cover the full cost of making them .

For cash payments only, stores and others would round the total (with tax) to the nearest 5 cents. Totals ending in 1¢, 2¢, 6¢, or 7¢ round down; 3¢, 4¢, 8¢, or 9¢ round up. Very small cash totals of 1¢ or 2¢ would round up to 5¢. Cards, checks, electronic payments, gift cards, and similar methods would not be rounded. The rounding rule would start one year after the law is enacted .

• Who is affected: Cash-paying customers, cash-based businesses, and employees paid in cash. Non-cash payments are not affected .
• What changes: No new pennies after one year (except cost-covering collector coins), cash totals rounded to nearest 5¢, and all existing pennies remain legal to use .
• When: Rounding rules take effect one year after enactment; penny minting ends no later than one year after enactment .