Which Dollar Store Actually Sells Penny Items?
Both chains mark discontinued items to $0.01 as an internal flag — but "will they actually sell it to you?" has different answers. Here's where each stands as of 2026-08-21.
Dollar Tree — now sells pennies (2026)
For years Dollar Tree refused, but per a January 2026 internal memo (corroborated by employees), stores are now supposed to complete the sale when an item rings up a penny. It's still inconsistent and unannounced publicly, and staff often pull remaining stock right after you check out — so grab everything before the register. Details in our Dollar Tree penny policy guide.
Dollar General — policy says yes, stores vary
Dollar General's employee handbook says staff should sell a penny item a customer finds and not deny the sale — but enforcement is inconsistent and plenty of stores refuse. Treat it as "allowed on paper, hit or miss in practice." More in does Dollar General sell penny items.
Quick comparison
| Store | Penny price | Will they sell it? | What to look for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar Tree | $0.01 | ✅ Yes — as of Jan 2026 policy (still inconsistent) | Discontinued SKUs; usually no special tag |
| Dollar General | $0.01 | ⚠️ Supposed to (handbook), but stores vary | Orange/yellow tags; 90% off precedes a penny |
Dollar Tree: sells pennies (2026, improving). Dollar General: supposed to, but inconsistent. Both still create penny items; they just differ on honoring them at the register. Whatever the store, scan to confirm and never alter a tag. For the big picture across every store, see penny shopping.
Which stores have penny items — and will they sell them?
| Store | Has penny items? | Will they sell? | Schedule | Tracked live here? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar Tree | Yes | Reportedly yes (since Jan 2026) | Continuous — no set day | Yes |
| Dollar General | Yes | Sometimes — store discretion | Weekly, Tuesday cycle | No — prices not online |
| Home Depot | Rarely | Sometimes — store discretion | Irregular clearance | No |
| Lowe's | Rarely | Sometimes — store discretion | Irregular clearance | No |
FAQ
Which dollar store sells penny items?
Dollar Tree now does (as of a January 2026 policy change, though it's still inconsistent). Dollar General's handbook says to sell them but stores vary.
Did Dollar Tree start selling penny items?
Yes — a widely reported January 2026 internal memo says stores should complete the sale when an item rings up a penny, reversing the old refuse-and-pull stance. Enforcement still varies by store.
Do all stores have penny items?
No. Penny items only happen at chains whose systems drop discontinued stock to $0.01 — mainly Dollar Tree and Dollar General, plus some big-box stores like Home Depot and Lowe's. Even within a chain it's location-by-location: not every store has the same pennies, or will ring them up, on a given day.