HR 4459119th CongressIn Committee

MINT Act of 2025

Introduced: Jul 16, 2025

Sponsor: Rep. Lucas, Frank D. [R-OK-3] (R-Oklahoma)

Infrastructure

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The MINT Act of 2025 would modernize U.S. coin specifications by allowing the 5-cent coin (the nickel) to be produced with alternative compositions beyond the current copper-nickel alloy and by letting the 5-cent coin potentially weigh between 4 and 6 grams when using these alternative compositions. The Secretary of the Treasury would gain authority to prescribe the exact zinc/nickel makeup of the 5-cent coin to lower production costs, including a version with an inner zinc layer and an outer nickel layer. At the same time, the bill would begin the phased elimination of the one-cent coin (the penny) from general circulation, while allowing pennies to be minted and sold as collector items; pennies already minted would remain legal tender. The bill also redefines the one-cent coin’s composition language and establishes cost-conscious testing and evaluation of new coin formats before implementation.

Key Points

1The 5-cent coin may be redesigned to include an inner layer of zinc and an outer layer of nickel, with overall weight options of 4-6 grams for non-traditional versions, while traditional copper-nickel versions would remain at 5 grams.
2The Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe the composition of zinc and nickel for the 5-cent coin and must test/evaluate to ensure production costs are reduced.
3The one-cent coin would be eliminated from production for general circulation, but could still be produced and issued for sale as numismatic (collector) items; pennies minted before enactment would remain legal tender.
4The bill changes the stated composition of the one-cent coin to “composed of copper and zinc” within the legal framework, though such coins would not be produced for everyday use after the transition.
5The act provides a framework for transitioning coin designs and costs, with implementation contingent on testing and TreasuryRulemaking.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: U.S. Mint and Treasury, coin production costs, and the overall cash ecosystem (merchants, banks, and individuals who use cash). Redesigning the nickel and reducing penny production could lower minting costs and alter coin handling in circulation.Secondary group/area affected: Businesses that operate coin-operated devices (vending machines, parking meters, transit fare systems) and coin-handling equipment may need adjustments to acceptance and calibration for new coin compositions and weights.Additional impacts: Coin collectors and the numismatic market would be directly affected by pennies being sold as collector items; there could be transitional costs for vending/logistics and potential short-term confusion during the shift from pennies to a reduced penny program. The bill would maintain legal tender status for pre-enactment pennies, affecting debt and tax payments made with older coins.

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