US Mint Produced Over 1.88 Billion Coins for Circulation in the First Three Months of 2025

The United States Mint produced just over 1.88 billion coins for circulation in the first three months of this year, reflecting an uptick from last year's

The United States Mint produced just over 1.88 billion coins for circulation in the first three months of this year, reflecting an uptick from last year’s first-quarter pace, which marked the slowest start since 2010.

In March, U.S. coin production rose to a five-month high, marking the second-highest monthly total over the past year, according to newly released U.S. Mint manufacturing data. Still, output remained below the 1-billion mark for a 19th consecutive month – a sharp contrast to earlier periods when surpassing that level was almost routine, including a stretch of eight straight months above it just before the current trend began.

The U.S. Mint struck 670.42 million coins for March, including cents, nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars, indicating a 15.3% increase from February and just over twice the amount produced in March 2024 (up 101.5%).

Here’s how March’s production compares to previous months over the past year:

March 2024 to March 2025 Circulating Coin Production

Coin Value | March 2024 | April 2024 | May 2024 | June 2024 | July 2024 | August 2024 | September 2024 | October 2024 | November 2024 | December 2024 | January 2025 | February 2025 | March 2025

Coin Value | March 2024 | April 2024 | May 2024 | June 2024 | July 2024 | August 2024 | September 2024 | October 2024 | November 2024 | December 2024 | January 2025 | February 2025 | March 2025

The U.S. 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.

Despite costing the Mint 3.69 cents to produce and distribute each penny, the Federal Reserve consistently orders more of them than any other denomination. In March, the Mint struck 328 million Lincoln cents, accounting for 48.9% of all circulating-quality coins produced for the month.

The future of the penny, however, is increasingly uncertain. On Feb. 9, President Trump ordered an end to its production, calling the move a step toward reducing "wasteful" government spending.

"For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents, " Trump said in a Truth Social post. "This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nations budget, even if it’s a penny at a time," Trump wrote.

In the first quarter, the Mint produced 923.4 million Lincoln cents, down from more than 1.01 billion in the same period of 2024.

Month-Over-Month

In month-to-month comparisons for coins commonly used by Americans, March production saw:

Mintages of Native American Dollars and Kennedy Halves

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

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 of them for circulation – approximately 12 million in 2021, 7 million in 2022, 18 million in 2023, and 52 million in 2024 (fiscal, not calendar years).

It remains unclear whether any 2025 Kennedy half dollars will be released into general circulation. As of January, production figures showed 3.6 million struck by the Denver facility and 5.8 million by the Philadelphia plant, for a combined total of 9.4 million coins. February data added 2 million more from Denver, while March figures