Foldin' money doesn't wear a hole in pockets like pitchin' money does. I'm not going to lose my pocket knife and keep some nine year old Cambodian in a job just so the US Mint can "ultimately save money".
So the Mint is thinking. "hey, I'll just change the picture around every once in a while, that way people will collect 'em, trade 'em, get all four!", but they totally fail on fixing what was fundamentally wrong with the coins in the first place.
You see, it was totally essential for the Mint to keep the exact same size, shape, and weight as the Sac and the Susan B., just so we could retain backwards compatibility with those postal stamp machines.
I hear that the only demographic that really liked the Sacagawea were the long haul truckers, who liked them because it makes it easy to pay tolls one-handed.
Coins are change - and because my wallet doesn't have a change area (not that it needs one, because I have enough crap taking up space in my wallet), I don't carry change.
Of course, what they really need to do is to a)ditch the penny b) ditch the nickel too c) require everyone to price things in tenths instead of hundreds of a dollar d) make a dollar coin that does not suck (perhaps a pentagon shape aluminum slug with a hole in the middle?), and, e) withdraw the dollar bill, and push the 2 dollar bill.
That last step insures adoption. Oh, and the people who bitch about the small raise in prices? While gas may go from $2.199 a gallon to $2.2, I say that they just give us all a tax credit on the 1040.
And hello, WTF happened to my anonymous, secure, digital, e-cash? We were supposed to have universal smart cards by now. Pay with a twenty for a few burgers, get a few bucks and change transferred over to your smartcard. Later, use that same card to pay for parking, soda out of a vending machine, or a few gallons of gas.
Canada abolished the $1.00 bill twenty years ago - the goverment of the day said here is your new 1.00 coin, we will stop printing the 1.00 bills in 2 years, get used to it.
Based on that success, they followed up with the 2.00 coin
our 1.00 and 2.00 coins are very different from other coins, easy to identify in your pocket and at a glance
We haven't looked back - it is much easier to use in vending machines and fare collection boxes
John Adams looks like he could've stood to lose some weight. But, then again, he lived a long time.
ReplyDeleteFoldin' money doesn't wear a hole in pockets like pitchin' money does. I'm not going to lose my pocket knife and keep some nine year old Cambodian in a job just so the US Mint can "ultimately save money".
ReplyDeleteWith CERTAIN reservations, I don't care WHO's image is on the coin. It's a whole dollar. I need about 3 thousand of them to meet my mortgage payment.
ReplyDeleteI DO know a surefire way to make them successful. Put $1.00's worth of GOLD or SILVER or PLATIMUM in each & every one.
It worked for Basil the Bulgaroctonos.
So the Mint is thinking. "hey, I'll just change the picture around every once in a while, that way people will collect 'em, trade 'em, get all four!", but they totally fail on fixing what was fundamentally wrong with the coins in the first place.
ReplyDeleteYou see, it was totally essential for the Mint to keep the exact same size, shape, and weight as the Sac and the Susan B., just so we could retain backwards compatibility with those postal stamp machines.
I hear that the only demographic that really liked the Sacagawea were the long haul truckers, who liked them because it makes it easy to pay tolls one-handed.
The dollar coin will never make it until they get their heads outta their fourth point of contact.
ReplyDeleteMaking them the size of coasters (Ike Dollar) or quarters (all newer versions) won't work.
The US should take a clue from England's one pound coin. Twice as thick as any coin we have, but not all that heavy. Easy to find in the pocket, too.
How do you stick one in a G-string?
ReplyDeleteThe Mint should just copy those Japanese Koban things. Or rectangular coins may be good for a change...
ReplyDeleteCoins are change - and because my wallet doesn't have a change area (not that it needs one, because I have enough crap taking up space in my wallet), I don't carry change.
ReplyDeleteThe dollar coins will never catch on with me.
dammit anon, that's my line
ReplyDeleteOf course, what they really need to do is to a)ditch the penny b) ditch the nickel too c) require everyone to price things in tenths instead of hundreds of a dollar d) make a dollar coin that does not suck (perhaps a pentagon shape aluminum slug with a hole in the middle?), and, e) withdraw the dollar bill, and push the 2 dollar bill.
ReplyDeleteThat last step insures adoption. Oh, and the people who bitch about the small raise in prices? While gas may go from $2.199 a gallon to $2.2, I say that they just give us all a tax credit on the 1040.
And hello, WTF happened to my anonymous, secure, digital, e-cash? We were supposed to have universal smart cards by now. Pay with a twenty for a few burgers, get a few bucks and change transferred over to your smartcard. Later, use that same card to pay for parking, soda out of a vending machine, or a few gallons of gas.
Canada abolished the $1.00 bill twenty years ago - the goverment of the day said here is your new 1.00 coin, we will stop printing the 1.00 bills in 2 years, get used to it.
ReplyDeleteBased on that success, they followed up with the 2.00 coin
our 1.00 and 2.00 coins are very different from other coins, easy to identify in your pocket and at a glance
We haven't looked back - it is much easier to use in vending machines and fare collection boxes