A regional supermarket chain is offering to buy pennies in a two-for-one deal. Sound like pennies from heaven? Too good to be true?
The news comes a day after the U.S. Mint pressed its final penny on November 12 in Philadelphia, following an order from President Donald Trump to stop making the one-cent coins back in February.
Market 32 and Price Chopper grocery stores are inviting customers to double the value of their spare change by bringing in their pennies this Sunday, November 16, for “Double Exchange Day.” The only catch is that customers will receive a gift card instead of cold hard cash for their trouble, according to a statement on the company’s website.
Market 32 is an updated, rebranded name for some Price Chopper stores. Dual-branded Market 32 and Price Chopper stores are located in the Northeast, in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.
The reason for the two-for-one deal may be a bit less altruistic than it seems. Since pennies are going out of circulation, that means more businesses—grocery stores especially—will need more of them in the short term.
Customers can bring in their pennies either the old-fashioned way—rolled up in a sleeve (remember that, Gen Xers?)—or as loose coins to the customer service desk at the supermarkets. They can bring in up to a total of $100, which gets you a $200 gift card, or a minimum of 50 cents for a $1 gift card.
However, the offer is good for one day only.
“Cash transactions remain an important part of how we serve our customers, and for those who prefer to pay with cash, we want to make sure we can continue providing the same great checkout experience—right down to the penny,” Blaine Bringhurst, president of Market 32 and Price Chopper, said in a statement.
“We also know that a lot of families across our six-state footprint are facing hardships right now, and this is another unique way our team is working to provide support,” he noted.