Financial Planning Tip May 2026

May 2026

Now that the U.S. Mint is no longer producing pennies, what can you do with your penny jar? Pennies are still legal tender so you can spend them as usual, though many stores have taken to rounding to the nearest nickel. Some stores are critically short of pennies and will give out extra perks to customers who bring them in. There is always the option to roll them and take them to the bank. Got any old pennies? They could be worth keeping. Pennies made before 1981 were made of copper, which is worth more than a cent. Indian Head pennies (1864-1908) can even be worth thousands of dollars!

Of course, you can always keep them as a souvenir of a time when a “dollar was a dollar” and people paid in cash. Barron’s even reports that they work well in art projects like coasters or wall art.[1]

But there is no urgency to decide on the fate of your penny collection right away. Pennies remain legal tender indefinitely.

[1] https://www.barrons.com/advisor/articles/pennies-how-to-use