Minting a coin that can pay off the federal debt has been proposed as a quick fix to rampant borrowing.

This conceptual strategy was first proposed in 2011 as a potential alternative to raising the US debt ceiling. Although there were several high-profile proponents of the idea, it was eventually rejected in 2013 by Treasury Department and Federal Reserve officials.

An obscure US Mint law permitting it to create platinum coins of any amount surfaced as a possible means of quickly paying down the national debt. Here's an explanation from the creator of the idea.

The United States has a debt problem. In 1989, the national debt was almost $3T. As of 2023, that number had ballooned to more than $30T. This video explains why the national debt grew so quickly, and what America's options are going forward. It also explores why the problem is trapped in political gridlock. Watch it to find out more.

At the same time, the US also started producing the dollar, its first official currency. The US Mint has since issued coins throughout the country.

Americans owe more than $1T to credit card companies. And with rising interest rates that prevent cardholders from paying down debt (not to mention the rising cost of living), that number is likely to keep growing. A podcast episode explains how the US got here, and what policymakers and individuals can do about it.

As people reduced the frequency with which they paid for things in cash and change during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for tap-to-pay systems or online shopping instead, the number of coins in circulation decreased. Those who did make cash purchases were more likely to keep their change at home rather than use it on a subsequent purchase.

After the US reached its debt ceiling in January 2023, the Treasury deployed "extraordinary measures" to keep paying obligations. This article explains the steps, how they work, and why they last only for a limited time.

The debt ceiling periodically takes center stage as Congress debates whether to increase or suspend this self-imposed limit on its borrowing authority. Learn the basics on this crucial feature of US fiscal policy with this Q&A.

A video created during the debt ceiling debates of 2021 outlining what would happen if the US failed to meet its debt obligations. Its lessons are applicable to today's debates.

The US national debt is at its highest level ever. Learn how the national debt grew to that level and what it means for US economic growth with charts and simple explanations.

Congress authorized the first national mint in Philadelphia. The next year, the Mint delivered its first circulating coins, which were bigger than today’s quarters. This article shows more early US currency.

Debt to the Penny is the total debt of the U.S. government and is reported daily. It is made up of intragovernmental holdings and debt held by the public.

It takes roughly three cents to produce a single penny, with an annual price tag of nearly $100M. The ubiquitous copper coin is scarcely used, ending up in jars or lost in couches, necessitating even more replacement coins, perpetuating a vicious circle. Studies suggest eliminating the coin would not cost consumers money. See a quick overview of the problem here.

This US Treasury page explains what the national debt is, how it accumulates from annual deficits, and why rising debt can affect interest costs, fiscal flexibility, and long-term economic stability.

The US will stop producing pennies after more than 233 years in 2026, though they will still be considered legal tender. It takes roughly three cents to produce a single penny, with an annual price tag of nearly $100M.

About 43 million Americans hold a cumulative $1.6T in federal student debt. That's more than the country's combined credit card balance, according to data from in the first quarter of the year 2024.

Around the year 1652, New England coinage was created at private mints. Historically, private mints were often located in places where governments did not meet the demand for currency. This article dives into the history of private mints, including the ones people can still visit today.

Waste facilities and TSA say they collect thousands of dollars of discarded money per year. A Wall Street Journal reporter visited a waste facility and learned what you can do with your extra change.

In the early 1900s, the US Treasury Department had a machine that washed and ironed old, soiled paper bills. The machine helped the Treasury save money by decreasing printing costs for new dollar bills, but had nothing to do with the modern understanding of money laundering.

That coin was Tether, also known as USDT. Other key dates in stablecoin history include Circle's launch of USDC in 2018, and, more recently, President Donald Trump's signing of the GENIUS Act in 2025.

Dalio frequently argues that debt cycles are inevitable and a tradition of every empire. However, he said in 2025 that the US was headed for a debt crisis. Dalio says that while Republicans and Democrats agree on the math of the debt crisis, all politicians make promises to neither increase taxes nor cut government benefits—which Dalio says can't close the deficit.

The video, made simple for children (or anyone who wants an easy-to-understand 101 video about the process coins go through to get in your wallet), outlines the entire process that a coin goes through in its lifetime, from Congress voting on new coins, to how coins are stamped, to their journey to a Reserve Bank.

Inserting fake currency into an economy can help destabilize it. During the American Revolution, for instance, the British distributed counterfeit “Continental Dollars” in an effort to devalue the currency being used in the US at the time with the goal of undermining America’s growing financial credibility. The Nazis also ran an extensive counterfeiting scheme during WWII.

Cash in the US is the result of a collaborative process between the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department, regional banks, and a little-known agency called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. From design to issuance, learn the steps in currency production in the US with this smart, aesthetic interactive.

The US Treasury regularly publishes updated data on the federal budget, and this site hosts visualizations of that data. See reports on spending, revenues, deficits, and where the national debt stands.