Currency Optimization, Innovation, and National Savings Act of 2025
The Currency Optimization, Innovation, and National Savings Act of 2025 (H.R. 1401) would save taxpayer money by suspending the production of the one-cent coin (the penny) for 10 years after enactment. The bill allows the U.S. Treasury to continue producing pennies only to satisfy the needs of coin collectors (numismatic purposes), with such coins sold under existing rules for collector coins. Revenue from selling these collector pennies would be restricted to cover production costs, ensuring no net profit or loss to the government from these sales. Importantly, the penny would remain legal tender for all debts and obligations regardless of minting status. The bill includes a sense-of-the-Congress statement that current penny demand is already met and further production would be financially wasteful.
Key Points
- 1Sense of Congress: Acknowledges that enough one-cent coins exist to meet demand and that producing more pennies costs taxpayers money.
- 2Temporary Suspension: Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to stop producing new one-cent coins for 10 years from enactment, with limited exceptions.
- 3Numismatic Exception: Penny production can continue solely to meet needs of coin collectors, not general circulation.
- 4Sale and Accounting: Collector pennies produced under the exception must be sold under existing collector-coin rules; net receipts must equal total production costs (including variable costs and a share of fixed costs).
- 5Legal Tender Status: Despite suspension of general production, one-cent coins remain legal tender for all debts, taxes, charges, and duties, regardless of when minted.