Penny pinching: Can Obama kill the one-cent coin?

[garbon]

While I can understand that for government costs - why would individuals want to support that? More annoying to carry dollar coins than bills.

There are people who have more than a small amount of 1s at any one time?  Highly doubtful.  If people were still using cash in those small denominations to a large degree I could see your point here but should we really be spending millions because it is marginally more convenient to have 2 pieces of paper instead of 2 pieces of metal?

Actually, I do routinely end up with a bunch of ones when I go out at night. Lots of bars are cash only. I can say going to a gay bar in NYC and getting ones back is not nearly as annoying as going to one in Montreal and ending with a pocket full of change.

[garbon]

Just checked, I've actually 15 ones in my wallet.

[The Brain]

Lots of bars are cash only.

Really?

[garbon]

Lots of bars are cash only.

Really?

Yes, really. Very obnoxious.

[Maximus]

So I saw this on the Canadian case on wiki:

A 2007 survey indicated that only 37 percent of Canadians used pennies, but the government continued to produce about 816 million pennies per year, equal to 25 pennies per Canadian.

What does use mean here? Inevitably if I pay for something in cash, I'm going to get some pennies and every so often if I haven't cleared out my bag, might use one.

My guess is many Canadians don't use cash on a daily basis. I certainly didn't.

[garbon]

So I saw this on the Canadian case on wiki:

A 2007 survey indicated that only 37 percent of Canadians used pennies, but the government continued to produce about 816 million pennies per year, equal to 25 pennies per Canadian.

What does use mean here? Inevitably if I pay for something in cash, I'm going to get some pennies and every so often if I haven't cleared out my bag, might use one.

My guess is many Canadians don't use cash on a daily basis. I certainly didn't.

Maybe but then despite what I've said here, I don't usually use cash on a daily basis either (and as I said only infrequently ever have pennies on me). Still don't think I'd say I don't use pennies if asked.

[The Brain]

Lots of bars are cash only.

Really?

Yes, really. Very obnoxious.

They wouldn't get many customers in Stockholm.

[Neil]

Yeah, Canada is far more cashless than the US.

[Valmy]

Yeah, Canada is far more cashless than the US.

I don't know.  We are pretty cashless.

[garbon]

Lots of bars are cash only.

Really?

Yes, really. Very obnoxious.

They wouldn't get many customers in Stockholm.

They probably wouldn't operate that way in Stockholm. Ok?

[Maximus]

I don't know.  We are pretty cashless.

We're still well behind where Canada was 10 years ago on this. It's possible that things have gone backward since I left, but I doubt it.

[Malthus]

Meh. dollar and two-dollar coins in the pocket simply are not a big deal.

What happens is that they are valuable enough that you actually spend them. Unlike the pennies and nickels, which tend to accumulate like dandruff - those get thrown in a jar when they start to weigh the pocket down too much.

Grousing about dollar coins while being okay with smaller change = silly. 

[garbon]

Meh. dollar and two-dollar coins in the pocket simply are not a big deal.

What happens is that they are valuable enough that you actually spend them. Unlike the pennies and nickels, which tend to accumulate like dandruff - those get thrown in a jar when they start to weigh the pocket down too much.

Grousing about dollar coins while being okay with smaller change = silly. 

I actually don't like change at all. I generally collect it in jars at home (well previously I used to just throw it on the ground ). That's actually why I oppose this as it'd make me more inclined to view the dollar coins as useless. Always have to remind myself they are not when traveling abroad (especially given that they are usually worth more than 1 USD).

[Malthus]

I actually don't like change at all. I generally collect it in jars at home (well previously I used to just throw it on the ground ). That's actually why I oppose this as it'd make me more inclined to view the dollar coins as useless. Always have to remind myself they are not when traveling abroad (especially given that they are usually worth more than 1 USD).

You are complaining about having useful coins because it would upset your worldview that coins are useless? 

It won't take long, if you have coins worth $1 and $2 USD, to get used to the notion that some coins have value (and utility!)

[Berkut]

Yeah, the basic argument against the dollar coin is that coins are not worth worrying about...?

Huh?