Penny Update: What You Need To Know
posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2026 in General
Making Cents of Change
As you may know, production of the U.S. penny officially ended on November 12, 2025. While pennies will remain legal tender, they will gradually become less common as existing supplies are used up in circulation. At Community 1st Credit Union, we’re committed to helping our members navigate this change.
What This Means for You
For now, it’s business as usual. You can continue to use pennies for everyday transactions, deposits, and payments just as you always have. There is no immediate impact on your banking experience with us. As penny supplies become more limited over time, we will make thoughtful adjustments designed to minimize inconvenience for our members.
Preparing for Reduced Penny Availability
When we begin to experience a shortage of pennies, we will implement a cash-back transaction strategy. This approach allows transactions to be rounded to the nearest nickel when exact change is unavailable, similar to what has already been adopted in other retail stores.
- Rounding applies only to cash transactions, and only when pennies are not available.
- Rounding may go up or down, ensuring fairness over time.
- Digital and electronic transactions are not rounded and will always be processed to the exact cent.
We will communicate clearly before any changes take effect so you know what to expect.
Cash Deposits Remain the Same
If you need to deposit cash, including pennies, again, it’s business as usual. Members can continue bringing coins to our branches, and we will process them as normal for as long as pennies remain in circulation.
Digital Payments Are Unaffected
All digital and electronic payment options remain completely unchanged, including:
- Debit card purchases
- Mobile wallets
- ACH transactions
- Wire transfers
- Digital banking
We encourage members to explore these convenient and secure options for everyday purchases and payments, especially as cash handling continues to evolve.
Will Community 1st Still Accept Pennies?
Yes. We will continue to accept pennies for deposits and payments for as long as they remain legal tender and in circulation.
Our Penny Supply
Due to the end of production, access to new boxes and rolls of pennies is limited, and availability may vary by branch. Our goal is to manage supplies responsibly while continuing to serve our members effectively.
Thank You for Adapting With Us
We appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we adapt to this change. If you have any questions, please call 866.360.5370, email memberservice@c1stcu.com, stop by your nearest branch, or visit c1stcu.com.