Why is there a coin shortage during the pandemic?
The Federal Reserve has seen a significant decline of coins in circulation because businesses have either closed or are not accepting cash.
Coins are still plentiful: In April, the U.S. Treasury estimated more than $47.8 billion were in circulation, up by more than a billion dollars compared to last year.
But in recent months, people have not been spending those coins at places like laundromats, banks, restaurants, or shops because the businesses are closed, or people are not visiting them as often as they were before the pandemic.
