I think the way to fix this in the U.S. is to just stop making pennies. All prices would be rounded to the nearest .05 cents. About 6 months later, stop printing dollar bills. This may make some unhappy but without pennies, you would end up with less coins.
All those dollar coins warehoused in bank vaults would now start circulating. ...Parker ________________________________ From: Martin Vlietstra <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Wed, August 17, 2011 10:50:35 AM Subject: [USMA:50982] Re: Fw: Re: Why mint coins no one wants? Things are still priced at €X.99 in the Netherlands , especially groceries. All of the €0.01s in your shopping basket add up. ________________________________ From:John Frewen-Lord [mailto: [email protected] ] Sent: 17 August 2011 18:31 To: [email protected]; U.S. Metric Association Subject: Re: [USMA:50979] Re: Fw: Re: Why mint coins no one wants? Australiahas also dropped the 1c coin - which also has had the side effect (at least it did when I was there a few years ago) of getting rid of everything being priced at $X.99. If you price something at $X.99, then you can only charge $X.95, as the smallest increment of change you can give is 5c. If you want more than $X.95, then you have to price it the next increment of 5c up - $Y.00. John F-L ----- Original Message ----- >From:Martin Vlietstra >To:U.S. Metric Association >Sent:Wednesday, August 17, 2011 5:41 PM >Subject:[USMA:50979] Re: Fw: Re: Why mint coins no one wants? > >May I add a few comments – a number of EU countries have stopped using the 1c >and 2c coins because of their low value. Before the introduction of the Euro, >the Dutch had demonetized their 0.01 guilder coins – all transactions were >worked out to the nearest 0.01 guilder, but when cash (as opposed to bank >transactions) changed hands, the amount of money that was handed over was >rounded up or down as appropriate to the nearest 5c. (You won some and you >lost >some – in the end you came out about equal). > >The Euro coins were designed to be used friendly – the milling of each coin is >used to assist in identifying the coins edge-on. Unfortunately I cannot say >the >same about the British coins. > >Maybe the US could learn from the EU about the design of bank notes – the >euro >bank notes of larger denomination are bigger than those of smaller >denominations. Also each is a distinctive colour and each has a indentations >for blind people. > > ________________________________ >From:[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of >Stanislav Jakuba >Sent: 17 August 2011 15:41 >To: U.S. Metric Association >Cc: U.S. Metric Association >Subject: [USMA:50977] Re: Fw: Re: Why mint coins no one wants? > >It was interesting to read John F-L's analysis. How perceptions differ! John's >analysis seems logical but the logic does not apply to me. Although foreigner >to >this country, I prefer the US currency paper/coin ratio over any other. >Frequenting Europe , the abundance of EU coins amuses and irritates me. No >wonder that some (two?) EU countries abandoned a few sizes. > >Unlike John F-L, I never need more coins here than I carry in my thin (mostly) >valet. All of them, always. Coins above 25 cents are available for circulation >- but they do not circulate. Maybe that is wrong! They should!. But they >don't. >Personally, if I get one of those, I get rid of it at the first opportunity I >have. So must be the majority of Americans who do not analyse the use, just >use. >Our Gov't has so far not decided that it knows better and forces on us its >preference, say, by withdrawing an alternative. >John, how about the cost of the wear and tear of valets and pockets (and >pocketbooks) with those humongous British coins? My preferred coin is the U.S. >dime. >Stan J. > > >On Wed, Aug 17, 2011 at 6:49 AM, John M. Steele <[email protected]> >wrote: >I would also like to point out that according to the Bureau of Engraving the >$1 bill outlasts the $5, $10, and $20 (by a considerable margin). Because >the >$1 is rarely counterfeited, they switched to a more durable bill, but it >doesn't have some of the anti-counterfeiting features. So replacing the $1 >bill may not be the place to start. >> >>No one minds if the coin exists, although no one likes to use it. Take >>away >>the bill, start a political firestorm. A politician can get unelected with >>a >>platform like that. >> >> >>http://www.moneyfactory.gov/faqlibrary.html >>What is the average life span of a Federal Reserve Note? >>The average life span of a Federal Reserve Note varies by denomination: >>Denomination Life Span >>$ 1 ............... >>$ 5 ............... >>$ 10 ............. >>$ 20 ............. >>$ 50 ............. >>$100 ............ 42 months >>16 months >>18 months >>24 months >>55 months >>89 months >> >>--- On Wed, 8/17/11, John M. Steele <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>From: John M. Steele <[email protected]> >> >>Subject: Re: [USMA:50973] Why mint coins no one wants? >>To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]>, "John Frewen-Lord" >><[email protected]> >>Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 6:39 AM >> >>John, >>I have to disagree with your analysis on two points: >>*The $0.50 and $1 coins are in circulation. They don't circulate much >>BECAUSE >>we don't like them, but they are certainly available. >>*The $1 coin weighs 8X as much as a $1 bill. >> >>I have found one good use for $1 coins I receive. A parking structure in a >>nearby town both accepts them and gives them as change when a larger >>denomination paper bill is tendered. I can leave them in the car and use >>them >>as parking tokens without fear they will be stolen. The Post Office stamp >>machine also gives them, no paper, as change when a larger bill is tendered. >> >>--- On Wed, 8/17/11, John Frewen-Lord <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>>From: John Frewen-Lord <[email protected]> >>>Subject: Re: [USMA:50973] Why mint coins no one wants? >>>To: [email protected], "U.S. Metric Association" >><[email protected]> >>>Date: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 3:36 AM >>>This looks like another example of where Americans have been fed incorrect >>>information, the resulting incorrect perception is everything, and why >>>America >>>prefers some (apparent - not necessarily real) short term gain in exchange >>>for >>>(not always immediately apparent) long term pain. The inefficiencies of >>>paper >>>money are well documented - a coin can last 50 years, a paper note/bill >>>less >>>than two. But there's also the huge (but hidden) inefficiency in each >>>person >>>handling not only two forms of money in a typical transaction (paper and >>>coin), but also greatly increased numbers of either. >>> >>>I remember seeing somewhere before on this subject that America rejects >>>higher denomination of coinage because they perceive that they will end up >>>with more change in their pockets/purses. Like with thinking converting >>>to >>>the metric system is too expensive, the OPPOSITE is true! That perception >>>is >>>plain wrong. >>> >>>Americahas the following coinage: 0.25, 0.10, 0.05, 0.01 - and that's it! >>>Four >>>denominations only (I am ignoring the 0.50 coin, as it does not seem to be >>>in >>>general usage). For paper money there is only the 1.00 bill and the 5.00 >>>bill. >>>(I am ignoring everything above 5.00.) >>>Canadahas the above, plus 1.00 and 2.00 coins - 6 denominations. Plus the >>>5.00 >>>bill. >>>UKhas 2.00, 1.00, 0.50, 0.20, 0.10, 0.05, 0.02, 0.01 - 8 denominations. >>>Plus >>>the 5.00 note. >>> >>>Now take a purchase that comes to, say, 3.92, paid for in coinage only. >>> >>>US - 15 x 0.25, 1 x 0.10, 1 x 0.05, 2 x 0.01. That's an astonishing 19 >>>coins - >>>not practical (too slow for one thing). Paper money will get used, thereby >>>giving you ever MORE change! >>>Canada - 1 x 2.00, 1 x 1.00, 3 x 0.25, 1 x 0.10, 1 x 0.05, 2 x 0.01 - 9 >>>coins. >>>Getting much more feasible. >>>UK- 1 x 2.00, 1 x 1.00, 1 x 0.50, 2 x 0.20, 1 x 0.02. That's just 6 coins. >>>In >>>practice, it means that for ANYTHING under 5.00, you are more likely to pay >>> >>>with ONLY coins, meaning you end up with FEWER coins jangling away in your >>>pockets/purses - and only having to deal with one type of money (coins). >>>That >>>means less time at the cash register = more efficient throughput of >>>customers. >>> >>>Even tendering, say, 4.00 for that purchase is no better for Americans. >>>Unless >>>they pay with 16 quarters, an American has to tender 4 x 1.00 bills. >>>He/she >>>will receive 1 x 0.05 and 3 x 0.01 in change (net increase of four coins). >>> >>>A Canadian or a Brit can tender just 2 x 2.00 coins. A Canadian will >>>receive >>>1 x 0.05 and 3 x 0.01 in change (net increase of two coins); a Brit will >>>receive 1 x 0.05, 1 x 0.02 and 1 x 0.01 in change - a net increase of just >>>one >>>coin. >>> >>>If in all three countries a 5.00 bill/note is tendered, an American will >>>receive 8 coins in change, a Canadian 5 coins and a Brit 4 coins in change. >>> >>>So how can Americans get it so wrong? I have lived extensively and >>>continually >>>travel in all three countries, and I can say from personal experience that >>>in >>>the UK you have far fewer coins on you, as using coins only for small >>>purchases is a very practical proposition. Same more or less for Canada , >>> as >>>it too has 2.00 and 1.00 coins. In the US I ALWAYS end up with a huge >>>pocketful of quarters, dimes and nickels, which just accumulate until one >>>day >>>I decide to aggregate them together and pay for something large with them - >>> >>>much to the annoyance of the person at the cash register, who now has to >>>sort >>>through and add up 20 or 30 coins or more. >>> >>> >>>Being different just for the sake of it does not always mean being better. >>>Being better means looking at how the rest of the world does something >>>better >>>than you - and then improving on it. >>> >>>John F-L >>>----- Original Message ----- >>>>From:John M. Steele >>>>To:U.S. Metric Association >>>>Sent:Wednesday, August 17, 2011 2:56 AM >>>>Subject:[USMA:50973] Why mint coins no one wants? >>>> >>>>Per this article on dollar coins, the US has $1.2 billion minted >>>>reserve >>>>of the $1 coins already due to low demand, and by 2016 will have a >>>>minted >>>>reserve of $2 billion of them. >>>> >>>>At 8.1 g/coin (per the Mint), that is 16200 t of excess coins by 2016. >>>> >>>>http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110816/OPINION03/108160335/Why-mint-coins-no-one-wants- >>>> >>>>
