Change in the Air: What’s Next for the Cent and Nickel?
An omega mark on the 2025 Lincoln cents hints at the end of an era, but with soaring costs and Congress undecided, America’s small change remains uncertain.
An omega appearing on the final 2025-dated Lincoln cents suggested the demise of the denomination, but there is still more to be sorted out. The nickel is likewise endangered due to the cost of producing the coin.
Perhaps some cheaper metal, reminiscent of the now-defunct aluminum composition Italian 10-lire coins, will save these denominations? That decision is in the hands of Congress. We are still awaiting government guidance on rounding when paying cash for something and not having the appropriate change. Some businesses have been offering a premium for cents, just so they have sufficient quantities on hand to make such change.
When Canada dropped its cent during the 2010s, the coins were shipped to facilities where they were sorted according to their metal content (Canada’s cents through 1996 are 98 percent copper. Cents after that date are copper-plated zinc or copper-plated steel.) The coins were then sold as scrap to recoup some of the Royal Canadian Mint’s seigniorage losses. Is someone going to sort through our cents to determine which are copper and which are 1982 and later issues comprised of copper-plated zinc?
Perhaps someone will find a way to skirt around Federal law (18 U.S. Code § 336). The law prohibits creating, issuing, or circulating any token or other item for a sum less than $1 with the intent to use it as a substitute for money. The law was meant to stop the issuance of Hard Times and Civil War tokens. Las Vegas had no problem getting around it by using dollar-denominated gaming tokens. Perhaps someone will find a legal substitute for chewing gum and candy when making change?
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