First The Penny Now The Nickel

Months after winding down the penny, U.S. lawmakers are eyeing making big changes to the nickel — as well as how Americans pay for goods with cash. The Senate passed the “Common Cents Act” with unanimous consent on August 7, about a month after a similar version of the bill passed in the House. However, since the House and Senate passed two different pieces of legislation, an identical bill must still clear both chambers before it can be sent to President Donald Trump.

The new Common Cents Act would codify the end of penny production after the U.S. minted its final batch of coins for circulation in November 2025. It would also provide some much-needed guidance for businesses on how to operate without the once-essential one-cent coin. An American nickel is a five-cent coin made of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Issued by the U.S. Mint since 1866, it has a diameter of 21.21 mm and features President Thomas Jefferson on the front.History and DesignsShield Nickel (1866–1883): The first official copper-nickel five-cent coin.Liberty Head Nickel (1883–1913): Featured a profile of Lady Liberty.Buffalo Nickel (1913–1938): Designed by James Earle Fraser, showing a Native American chief and an American bison.Jefferson Nickel (1938–Present): Features Thomas Jefferson and his home, Monticello.Key FactsComposition: 5 grams in weight, unchanged since 1866 (except for silver-alloy "War Nickels" from 1942 to 1945).Value: Most modern circulated nickels are worth face value ($0.05), though rare dates (like the 1913 Liberty Head) can be worth millions