US Coin Production Drops in November as Penny Striking Ends

U.S. Mint coin production slowed significantly in November after two months of accelerating output, and no pennies were struck for a fourth consecutive month, aside from ceremonial pieces that officially marked the end of the one-cent coin.

November production totaled 130.28 million coins for circulation, spanning nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars. The output was down 64.5% from September and 78.4% from November 2024.

Here’s how the month’s output compared with other months over the past year:

November 2024 to November 2025 Circulating Coin Production

*The May total excludes a negative adjustment reflected in the Mint’s May data for 3.22 million Native American dollars — an amount that, based on CoinNews tracking, had inflated monthly totals by 700,000 in February, 1.4 million in March, and 1.12 million in April. Those figures have also been updated.

The Mint’s primary mission is to manufacture coins in response to public demand. It produces, sells, and delivers circulating coins to Federal Reserve Banks and their coin terminals, ensuring commercial banks and other financial institutions have the necessary supply.

Lincoln Cent Production Officially Ends

The penny had long accounted for more than half of the Mint’s monthly coin output, as the Federal Reserve consistently ordered more of them than any other denomination. This continued despite its high production cost, most recently estimated at 3.69 cents per coin. That trend, however, is now history. In July, the Mint struck just 400,000 Lincoln cents — only 0.1% of all circulating-quality coins produced for the month — and reported figures have remained unchanged since.

Policy decisions later in the year formalized what production data had already signaled. The shift follows a Feb. 9 directive from President Trump to end penny production, describing the move as a step toward reducing “wasteful” government spending. In May, the U.S. Treasury confirmed it had placed its final order for penny blanks and would phase out production once current inventories were depleted.

On Nov. 12, the U.S. Mint officially marked the end of circulating cent production with a ceremonial striking event, noting the one-cent coin will be produced only for collector products going forward.

“Today the Mint celebrates 232 years of penny manufacturing,” Kristie McNally, Acting Mint Director, said at the time. “While general production concludes today, the penny’s legacy lives on. As its usage in commerce continues to evolve, its significance in America’s story will endure.”  

That transition culminated on Dec. 11, when those last circulating pennies were auctioned, with the top lot realizing $800,000.

Month-Over-Month

Beyond the conclusion of penny production, November’s month-over-month data showed sharp declines in output across several other circulating coins.

• Jefferson nickels fell 28.4%
• Roosevelt dimes dropped 88.9%
• Quarter output declined 73%.

The U.S. Mint also produces other coins in circulating quality, including half dollars and dollars. Although Native American $1 coins are no longer ordered by the Federal Reserve, they continue to be produced in circulating quality for collectors. The same was true for Kennedy half dollars until recent years — specifically in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 — when they were also distributed into circulation.

Mintages of Kennedy Halves

In many years, the U.S. Mint strikes both denominations in January to meet the expected demand for the entire year. However, that has not been the case for Kennedy half dollars over the past four years, as the Federal Reserve unexpectedly ordered millions more for circulation — approximately 12 million in 2021, 7 million in 2022, 18 million in 2023, and 52 million in 2024 (fiscal, not calendar years).

Some 2025 Kennedy half dollars have entered general circulation, based on the latest figures. In January, production totaled 3.6 million coins from the Denver Mint and 5.8 million from the Philadelphia Mint. February added 2 million more from Denver, while March contributed another 2.4 million from Philadelphia. With no reported changes in April, May, or June, the year-to-date total remained at 13.8 million coins.

In July, the Mint reported an additional 3.2 million from Denver, lifting the cumulative 2025 total to 17 million. Figures held steady in August before rising by 1.6 million at Denver in September. In October and again in November, production increased each month by 1.6 million at Denver and 3 million at Philadelphia, bringing the cumulative 2025 total to 27.8 million — split between 13.6 million from Denver and 14.2 million from Philadelphia.

By comparison, 2024 saw significantly higher production, with 21.9 million half dollars struck at Denver and 15.7 million at Philadelphia, for a combined total of 37.6 million coins.

Mintages of Native American Dollars

Since the U.S. Mint’s May revision to 2025 Native American dollars, which reset the cumulative mintage to the 2.38 million coins first reported in January, the total had remained unchanged until October.

Earlier monthly reports had shown the following additions before they were removed by the May update:

• January: 1.12 million (Denver) + 1.26 million (Philadelphia) = 2.38 million
• February: an additional 700,000 (Philadelphia)
• March: another 1.4 million (700,000 from each facility)
• April: 1.12 million added (420,000 Denver, 700,000 Philadelphia)

Subsequent data confirmed that cumulative totals never moved beyond January’s level, effectively nullifying all reported increases from February through April.

In October and again in November, figures increased by 700,000 at each facility, bringing totals to 2.52 million from Denver and 2.66 million from Philadelphia, for a combined 5.18 million.

For comparison, the 2024 Native American dollar saw slightly lower production, totaling 2.24 million coins, evenly split between the Denver and Philadelphia Mints.

The U.S. Mint began selling rolls, bags, and boxes of 2025 Native American dollars on Jan. 28, followed by the release of 2025 Kennedy half dollar rolls and bags on May 6.

The following table shows 2025 circulating coin mintages in November by production facility and denomination.

U.S. Mint Circulating Coin Production in November 2025

In November, the Denver Mint struck 45.1 million coins, while the Philadelphia Mint produced 85.18 million, for a combined 130.28 million.

Year-to-Date Totals

Year-to-date, Denver has struck 2,227,340,000 coins and Philadelphia 2,440,740,000 coins, for an overall total of 4,668,080,000 coins — the weakest eleventh-month start on record, according to CoinNews data, and 10.6% less than the 5,221,940,000 coins produced during the same period in 2024.

This next table lists coin production totals by denomination and by U.S. Mint facility:

YTD 2025 Circulating Coin Production by Denomination

If the current production pace continues through December, the 2025 annual mintage would reach nearly 5.1 billion coins. For comparison, the U.S. Mint produced just over 5.6 billion coins for circulation in 2024, marking the lowest output since 2009.

2025 Quarter Mintages

In addition to the one-year-only 2025 Native American dollar design, the U.S. Mint released all five uniquely designed 2025 issues from its four-year American Women Quarters™ Program, which concludes this year.

The 2025 Ida B. Wells quarter, the first of the year, entered circulation in February, with the Mint offering rolls and bags of the coin to the public beginning Feb. 4. Mintage totals were unchanged in April but increased sharply in May, with an additional 43.7 million coins from Denver and 59.85 million from Philadelphia. With no changes reported since, the coin’s combined mintage now stands at 309.4 million — 143.2 million from Denver and 166.2 million from Philadelphia.

The second quarter design of the year, honoring Juliette Gordon Low, entered circulation a month later. Rolls and bags went on sale March 25. Production reached 130.2 million from Denver and 200.4 million from Philadelphia, for a combined total of 330.6 million.

Production of the third 2025 design, featuring Dr. Vera Rubin, began in April, when 2.2 million coins were struck in Philadelphia. Output increased sharply in May, reaching 25 million from Denver and 27.8 million from Philadelphia, for a combined total of 52.8 million. June production rose further to 63 million coins from Denver and 55.8 million from Philadelphia, bringing the cumulative total to 118.8 million. No further increases have been recorded. The coin entered circulation on June 2, with rolls and bags offered a day later on June 3.

Minting for the fourth 2025 design, featuring Stacey Park Milbern, began in May with 2.2 million coins struck at the Denver Mint and 2.4 million at the Philadelphia Mint. No changes were reported in June, but production surged in July to 41.8 million from Denver and 72.8 million from Philadelphia, for a combined 114.6 million. In August, output rose by an additional 17.6 million from Denver, bringing its total to 59.4 million, and by 22 million from Philadelphia, raising that figure to 94.8 million, for a cumulative mintage of 154.2 million. No further increases have been recorded. The coin was released in rolls and bags on Aug. 12.

In June, the Mint began striking the final 2025 quarter design — and the last of the program — honoring Althea Gibson, with 2.4 million coins produced at the Philadelphia Mint. In July, Philadelphia’s figure remained at 2.4 million, while Denver added 2.2 million, bringing the combined total to 4.6 million, which held unchanged in August. Production increased in September by 29.4 million coins at Denver and 32.8 million at Philadelphia. October additions totaled 40 million from Denver and 66 million from Philadelphia. In November, output rose by another 8.4 million from Denver and 16 million from Philadelphia, lifting the overall total to 197.2 million, with Denver and Philadelphia accounting for 80 million and 117.2 million, respectively. The quarter entered circulation on Oct. 20, followed by its release in rolls and bags on Oct. 21.

Of note, the Mint’s reported totals for the individual quarter designs trail its overall quarter production figure by 1.8 million coins.

This final table shows all American Women quarter dollar mintages by production facility, denomination, and design.

2022-2025 American Women Quarter Mintages