Can the President Actually Kill off the Penny – And Ought to He?

By Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston College

In the midst of Tremendous Bowl LIX, President Donald Trump posted on social media that he was eliminating the penny. For the reason that lowly penny in 2024 price about 3.7 cents to make – which means the federal government loses cash on each coin – the announcement may appear sensible at first look. However does the president have the facility to kill off the penny?

I’m a enterprise college professor and a longtime advocate for bodily cash who has written op-eds supporting the penny in The Wall Avenue Journal and CNN. My forthcoming e-book, “The Power of Cash,” explores the various benefits of utilizing old style foreign money. But inflation has slashed the worth of the penny by a 3rd in simply the previous decade, and even I now admit that its time is up.

However eliminating the penny by way of a social media put up isn’t simply legally doubtful. It might trigger extra issues than it solves.

The penny downside

Critics see the penny as a shining instance of presidency waste. Final yr, the U.S. Mint misplaced US$85 million making pennies, in accordance with the bureau’s annual report. It additionally misplaced about $18 million minting nickels. Now, to be clear, simply because the mint didn’t make cash on pennies or nickels doesn’t imply it’s dropping cash total. In 2024, the mint earned a revenue of about $100 million making the nation’s pocket change. Nonetheless, $85 million is not any small sum.

In the meantime, public opinion on the penny is break up. Some surveys present help for it, however it has loads of opponents. Lots of my college students cite carrying round “nuisance coins” just like the penny as a motive for switching away from utilizing money.

The excellent news, for many who dislike the penny, is that the coin is disappearing by itself. The U.S. Mint has made about 5 billion pennies yearly all through the 2020s — down from about 11 billion annually within the Nineteen Nineties. Thus far in 2025, it has solely made a couple of quarter of 1,000,000 pennies.

However is it authorized?

Setting apart individuals’s emotions towards the penny, the issue with the president’s order, I believe, is that solely Congress can change the kind of cash the mint produces.

To be honest, some defenders of the president’s order consider his actions are authorized. However the U.S. Structure’s Article 1, Part 8 – which supplies Congress the facility to do essential issues like levy taxes, pay money owed and declare battle – additionally authorizes Congress “to coin money.”

Now the phrase “to coin money” is imprecise. To repair that, america’ second Congress handed the Coinage Act of 1792, which was signed into legislation by President George Washington. The act, which lays out how the mint operates and what it produces, says it should produce “Cents – each to be of the value of the one hundredth part of a dollar, and to contain eleven penny-weights of copper.”

Congress can modify this act anytime it desires – and it has. The 1792 act additionally required the mint to supply “Half Cents – each to be of the value of half a cent.” These cash had been eradicated in 1857 by an act of Congress. Equally, earlier than 1965, many U.S. cash had been made out of silver. After a 1965 congressional modification to the act handed, they had been made out of a less expensive composite.

And lawmakers have tried a number of occasions to get rid of the penny. In 1989, for instance, Arizona Rep. Jim Hayes proposed the Worth Rounding Act, which known as for money purchases to be rounded to the closest nickel. It didn’t move. Extra not too long ago, in 2017, Republican Senator John McCain launched the COINS act, which might have eradicated the minting of pennies. The invoice additionally proposed switching the paper one-dollar invoice to a metallic coin. It, too, didn’t move.

What occurs if pennies go?

Since Congress has did not get rid of the penny prior to now, Trump is making an attempt to take action by way of a direct order to the Treasury secretary. Nevertheless, a lot of Trump’s actions are being challenged in court docket. For the sake of argument, let’s assume nobody challenges the order to kill off manufacturing of the penny.

An enormous downside stays. Even when the U.S. stopped making pennies, they’d stay authorized tender and other people would nonetheless want them as change. In easy phrases, the provision would change, however not the demand.

Previous efforts to section out the penny have tried to cope with this downside by requiring rounding, however Trump’s effort doesn’t do that. I believe it’s totally attainable that folks against Trump would manage nationwide “Demand your penny in change” days in an try and embarrass the president.

The U.S. authorities loses lower than $10 million a month minting pennies. In principle, Congress might move laws eliminating the penny and requiring rounding inside a month or two. The associated fee to the federal government for doing issues legally is low. If the penny has to go, let Congress do it the precise manner.

Jay L. Zagorsky, Affiliate Professor Questrom College of Enterprise, Boston College

This text is republished from The Dialog underneath a Artistic Commons license. Learn the unique article.

—

Beforehand Printed on theconversation.com with Artistic Commons License

***

Does courting ever really feel difficult, awkward or irritating?

dating header long 1

Flip Your Relationship Life right into a WOW! with our new courses and stay teaching.
Click on right here for more information or to purchase with particular launch pricing!

***

On Substack? Observe us there for extra nice courting and relationships content material.

Be a part of The Good Males Challenge as a Premium Member right now.

All Premium Members get to view The Good Males Challenge with NO ADS. A $50 annual membership offers you an all entry move. You might be part of each name, group, class and neighborhood. A $25 annual membership offers you entry to at least one class, one Social Curiosity group and our on-line communities. A $12 annual membership offers you entry to our Friday calls with the writer, our on-line neighborhood. Want extra information? A whole listing of advantages is right here.

—

Photograph credit score: unsplash

The put up Can the President Actually Kill off the Penny – And Ought to He? appeared first on The Good Males Challenge.

Success Tales

ADVERTISEMENT:

Informasi mengenai KING SLOT, Segera Daftar Bersama king selot terbaik dan terpercaya no satu di Indonesia. Boleh mendaftar melalui sini king slot serta memberikan hasil kembali yang paling tinggi saat sekarang ini hanyalah KING SLOT paling gacor, gilak dan gaco saat sekarang di Indonesia melalui program return tinggi di kingselot serta pg king slot

adu88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://adu88.asia/

agoda88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://agoda88.asia/

aryaduta88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://aryaduta88.com/

bajaringan permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://bajaringan.asia/

bangkit88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://bangkit88.biz/
https://basket88.internet/

batu88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://batu88.biz/

berita88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://berita88.biz/

best88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://best88.asia/

booking88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://booking88.org/

ceria88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://ceria88.biz/

cipit888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://cipit888.asia/

dinojp88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://dinojp88.com/

dosen88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://dosen88.org/

eyangslot88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://eyangslot88.biz/

f88bet permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://f88bet.asia/

forwin777 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://forwin777.biz/

gacoan888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gacoan888.biz/

gacor666 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gacor666.biz/

gambar88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gambar88.org/

gemoy888slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gemoy888slot.information/

gercep888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gercep888.asia/

gitar88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gitar88.asia/

gmail88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://gmail88.org/

grandaston88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://grandaston88.com/

grandmercure88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://grandmercure88.com/

hermes88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://hermes88.biz/

heroslot888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://heroslot888.information/

hoki222 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://hoki222.biz/

holidayinn88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://holidayinn88.com/

hotelharis88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://hotelharis88.com/

ibis88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://ibis88.asia/

ibisbudget88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://ibisbudget88.com/

indonesia88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://indonesia88.information/

inspirasi permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://inspirasi.information/

janjigacor88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://janjigacor88.org/

jitujp88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://jitujp88.com/

jokiwin88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://jokiwin88.internet/

juragan66 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://juragan66.biz/

jwmarriott88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://jwmarriott88.com/

kedai88slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kedai88slot.biz/

kilau88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kilau88.biz/

kimjongun permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kimjongun.asia/

kiw88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kiw88.biz/

koi777 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://koi777.biz/

kucing permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kucing.information/

kudaslot88slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kudaslot88slot.com/

kuncigitar permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kuncigitar.org/

kuta88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kuta88.asia/

madu888slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://madu888slot.internet/

maniaslot88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://maniaslot88.professional/

maxbet888slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://maxbet888slot.com/

mercure88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://mercure88.com/

mitra777slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://mitra777slot.biz/

mobilelegends88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://mobilelegends88.com/

moris88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://moris88.org/

motivasi88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://motivasi88.com/

nagacc88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://nagacc88.com/

nasigoreng88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://nasigoreng88.com/

neng88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://neng88.biz/

neototo88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://neototo88.com/

newslot888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://newslot888.biz/

ngopibet88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://ngopibet88.org/

nibung888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://nibung888.biz/

nonstop888slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://nonstop888slot.com/

nova12 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://nova12.internet/

novotel88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://novotel88.com/

oli88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://oli88.org/

omset88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://omset88.com/

orientalplay88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://orientalplay88.com/

oxwin88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://oxwin88.com/

oyo88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://oyo88.stay/

pahala88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pahala88.biz/

paris777slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://paris777slot.biz/

parsel88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://parsel88.com/

pesiarbet88slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pesiarbet88slot.internet/

pizzahut88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pizzahut88.internet/

planet777slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://planet777slot.biz/

pmg888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pmg888.biz/

pohon88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pohon88.biz/

polaris888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://polaris888.information/

prediksi88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://prediksi88.biz/

puas88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://puas88.com/

pubg88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pubg88.information/

pulaujudi88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pulaujudi88.information/

puma888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://puma888.information/

pusakajitu88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://pusakajitu88.com/

qqhok88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://qqhok88.org/

quiz88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://quiz88.biz/

quiz88slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://quiz88slot.com/

rajah permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://rajah.asia/

reddoorz88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://reddoorz88.com/

registrasi88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://registrasi88.com/

ribut88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://ribut88.internet/

roblox88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://roblox88.org/

rockygerung88 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://rockygerung88.com/

rumah permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://rumah.asia/

microvip888 permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://microvip888.com

slot demo gacor permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

akun demo slot gacor permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

akun slot demo gacor permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

akun slot demo permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

akun demo slot permainan paling prime dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama https://kdwapp.com/

slot demo gacor

akun demo slot gacor

akun slot demo gacor

akun demo slot pragmatic

akun slot demo pragmatic

akun slot demo

akun demo slot