Sponsors
The bill aims to lower government coin production costs and preserve penny legal/collector status by changing nickel composition, but it may require cash‑rounding adjustments for consumers, modest equipment costs for cash‑dependent businesses, and short‑term Mint/Treasury transition expenses.
All Americans could see lower taxpayer costs if changing the 5‑cent composition reduces Mint production expenses, potentially saving public funds.
People who hold pennies keep their coins' legal value because existing one‑cent coins remain legal tender, avoiding an immediate loss of face value for coin holders.
Coin collectors and numismatic buyers can still purchase newly minted one‑cent coins as collector items, preserving the collector market option.
Cash consumers—particularly seniors, retirees, and low‑income individuals—may face rounding of cash transactions if pennies are removed from practical circulation, altering how small cash payments are settled.
Cash‑heavy businesses (retailers, vending operators) may incur modest costs to update pricing, cash‑handling, and coin‑sorting equipment to adapt to changed coin use.
The U.S. Mint and Treasury could face short‑term transition and implementation costs to test and deploy the new nickel/zinc composition, affecting budgets and contractors.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Ends routine minting of the one-cent coin (keeps existing pennies legal tender, allows collectible minting) and authorizes new zinc-core, nickel-clad five-cent coins with broader weight tolerances to lower costs.
Introduced July 16, 2025 by Frank D. Lucas · Last progress July 16, 2025
Ceases routine production of the one-cent coin while leaving existing pennies legal tender and permitting occasional minting of pennies as numismatic (collectible) items for sale. Revises specifications for the five-cent coin to allow a zinc inner layer with a nickel outer layer and broader weight tolerances, and gives the Secretary of the Treasury authority to set the exact zinc/nickel composition after testing to reduce production costs.