2001-12-30 The discussions on the dollar coin and the Euro are very relavent. They point out methods that work and methods that don't work in weaning people away from old habits and adjusting to the new.
It also shows the difficulty in America going metric. Because when the US decides to change something, it never does it fully or correct. And you can see the results. Conversion to the Euro is an example of how it is to be done. Can you imagine if Americans were running the Euro conversion program? They would let the old and new co-exist side by side forever and let the people choose which one they want. And you would experience exactly what you have seen below with the dollar coin. Conversion to metric parallels conversion in other habits. That is the relavence Harry, I don't know where you live, but there has to be more than one bank in your town. And the fact that a few loose coins keep making there way back to the bank means someone is circulating them. I suggest you find a bank that has them and buy a few roles a week. And spend them as much as possible around town. Or, you can order the 1 k$ minimum and agree to buy so many roles a week until they are exhausted and then order more. But, I'll bet all your tellers are women and it is them that don't want to order them and put up the obstacles. They fear if they keep ordering them, even if it is just for you, the amount of coins in the town will increase to a point that their might be more then 10 in their tills at a given time. And since they don't want to give them out and "nobody ever asks for them", they will pile up on them. As for the BS about no one asking for them, that is a big cop out. I rarely hear anyone when I'm in the bank specifying certain combinations of coin and currency when they cash checks. Maybe some do, but most don't They just take what the teller wants to give them. So, I would not expect anyone to specificially ask for the coin. Unless they wanted to have them for a specific reason. So, my friend, you have the challenge of flooding you town with golden dollars. This is your golden opportunity. Do it! John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harry Wyeth" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, 2001-12-30 06:52 Subject: [USMA:16931] Coins (on topic?) > I don't know how relevent discussions re coins are to SI, but since they > have been mentioned here recently, together with comments on the U.S. > dollar coin, here is my experience: > > The so-called "golden dollars" are almost unavailable where we live. My > own bank simply refuses to carry them, and won't even place an order for > them for a customer unless they order lots (I think they told me $1000!). > They only ones they have are those they somehow acquire as loose change, > and there are usually less than 10 in the entire bank. The bank tellers > say they never give them out, no one asks for them, and they don't have > spots in their cash drawers for them. When I point out that if they gave > them out, they would be accepted, and that everyone I have ever dealt out a > dollar coin to liked it, the tellers just shrug. > > I have never been given a "golden dollar" in change and have never seen one > in a cash drawer. I have never seen anyone besides myself in possession of > one! > > It is very disappointing. Somehow between them, the U.S. Mint and the > banking system have royally screwed up plans for introducing this coin in > the U.S. > > I trust the Euro coins will do better, starting Tuesday. > > HARRY WYETH >
