OCEAN CITY, MD — The U.S. Treasury Department has confirmed it will end production of the penny in early 2026, citing declining use and rising manufacturing costs. While the shift reflects the country’s ongoing move toward digital payments, it may spell the end for one enduring boardwalk fixture: the penny press. Common along shorelines and amusement areas, penny press machines flatten one-cent coins and stamp them with location-themed designs. First appearing in the late 1800s, the machines have offered generations of travelers a low-cost souvenir tied to specific destinations. With the penny on its way out, collectors and business owners are taking stock. Some believe the coins may grow in collectible value, while others are less sentimental, focused on clearing out jars of change before it’s no longer accepted.
The bigger question is whether the machines themselves will adapt. Some operators are exploring the use of other denominations, but there’s no guarantee it will have the same nostalgic pull or appeal to younger crowds accustomed to tap-to-pay convenience. As the U.S. phases out its smallest coin, the ripple effects may flatten more than just copper. For families and beach towns, it may also close the book on a once-ubiquitous piece of Americana.
