WASHINGTON, D.C. (Michigan News Source) – From cupholders and couch cushions to piggy banks gathering dust, America’s pennies are everywhere — except where they’re suddenly needed.

Now, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is joining the list of penny-strapped institutions. This week, the USPS confirmed a new policy allows post offices to round cash transactions to the nearest nickel when pennies aren’t available in the register.

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For customers paying with cards, nothing changes. But for those still using cash, the humble penny’s absence may be felt at the counter, one rounded total at a time — a small but telling sign that an era of American currency has truly come to an end.

As of November, the U.S. Mint quietly struck its final batch of one-cent coins, bringing an end to a 232-year run for the penny.