Banks and merchants in the US are facing a shortage of one-cent coins after Trump's decision to halt production, causing chaos in commerce.

The United States is facing a shortage of one-cent coins, after President Donald Trump decided to halt their production, citing high costs. This situation has led to chaos in commerce, where stores are forced to round prices, and banks are rationing the last stocks. The Sheetz chain of stores has launched a promotion to encourage customers to bring in one-cent coins, offering a free drink for 100 pennies. The problem has begun to worsen as the holiday season approaches, and merchants are complaining of financial losses due to the need to round prices.

One-cent coins have become more expensive to produce than their value, and in 2024, the U.S. Mint spent 3.7 cents to produce a penny. It is estimated that the government will save 56 million dollars by stopping the production of one-cent coins. Other countries, such as Canada, have gone through similar processes of eliminating low-value coins, suggesting a global trend to abandon these denominations.