> I feel that discussing the failure of the Sacagawea dollar coin on this > listserv is relevant to our cause, since it represents the unwillingness > of Americans to enact an important change, especially if that change > that will run counter to their conventional ignorance. > > Has anybody on this list, in the US, and not in a Wal-Mart or an IHOP > (they are, or were, running promotions on this),received one or more > Sacagawea dollar coins in change? Since the coin was launched in January > of 2000, I have never received this coin in change or from an > individual. When I was visiting the US in May, I was at a supermarket checkout. I noticed that the cashier had a few golden dollar coins in her drawer. When she gave me change, I specifically asked for the coins. I also proceeded to asked her how many she had seen since they were introduced. She answered that she would get one or two a week (don't know if she was full or part time). I also asked her if she ever gave them out as change. She said that the store told the cashiers not to give them out unless the customer specifically asks for them, or unless they have no single dollar bills left in their drawer. On a similar note, I wonder if we could get some comments from Canadians. While I live in Canada now, I didn't live in Canada when their one dollar coin was introduced. As I understand, there was a time between when the coin was put into circulation and when the one dollar bill was withdrawn. How popular was the loonie when the people had the option of using a dollar bill? To me the only way to bring the golden dollar into mainstream use would be to discontinue the US $1 bill. At the same time, there is supposedly a big demand in the US for the golden dollar for use in vending machines. The reason they made the new coin is because they ran out of SBAs. Stephen
