The U.S. Treasury Department will stop making new pennies, according to a statement on Thursday. The Wall Street Journal first reported that the U.S. government ordered its last penny blanks in May, and the United States Mint will stop manufacturing the one-cent coins when the final inventory of penny blanks is used. (Penny blanks are flat, metal discs that are turned into coins.) What Does Ending Penny Production Mean for Small Businesses? Consumers will continue to be able to use pennies to pay for purchases, the Treasury Department said.