Want to make some money? A grocery store chain is letting customers trade in pennies for twice their value.
Price Chopper and Market 32 announced that Sunday, Nov. 16, will be “Double Exchange Day.” Any customers who bring in rolled or loose pennies can receive double their value (2 cents for every penny) as a gift card for store credit.
According to the supermarket news site Progressive Grocer, participants must bring a minimum of 50 cents (for a $1 gift card value) and can exchange pennies for up to a maximum of $100 (for a $200 gift card). An uneven amount, such as $1.23, can similarly be redeemed for $2.46.
Double Exchange Day will take place at all 129 Price Chopper and Market 32 locations from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The stores are located in six states: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
A representative confirmed that the deal will not be available at Tops Friendly Markets, despite Tops and Price Chopper merging in 2021 to become Northeast Grocery, Inc. The company still operates both brands, though several stores have since closed including a Price Chopper in Clay in 2024 and a Tops in DeWitt in April.
The money-doubling offer is a response to the growing penny shortage after President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. Treasury to stop producing 1-cent coins due to rising costs. Banks are unable to order new pennies from the U.S. Mint and have started rationing the coins for their customers.
According to the Associated Press, the convenience store chain Sheetz recently got so desperate for pennies that it briefly ran a promotion offering a free soda to customers who exchange 100 pennies for a $1 bill.
Other stores and restaurants, including Aldi and McDonald’s, have resorted to rounding up or rounding down to the nearest five cents (or nickels) when pennies aren’t available as change. All other payment methods, such as credit cards and digital wallets, are processed as usual.
“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. “The Double Exchange Day gives our customers an opportunity to partner with us in that effort while being rewarded for supporting us in managing our coin inventory responsibly as the nation prepares for the phaseout of pennies.”
To find your nearest Market 32 or Price Chopper store, visit pricechopper.com/stores.
