U.S. gov't to release new dollar coins

[peejay 327]

The only place I see these coins are even used are at the US Post Office stamp machines where they are given as change with stamp purchases. Photo of the new coin provided at the link below.

U.S. gov't to release new dollar coins

By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer

Sun Feb 11, 7:13 AM ET

Two recent efforts to promote wide usage of a dollar coin proved unsuccessful. But maybe Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea should not take public rejection personally. It's not easy overcoming people's indifference to dollar coins, even those honoring such historic figures.

An AP-Ipsos poll found that three-fourths of people surveyed oppose replacing the dollar bill, featuring George Washington, with a dollar coin. People are split evenly on the idea of having both a dollar bill and a dollar coin.

A new version of the coin, paying tribute to American presidents, goes into general circulation Thursday. Even though doing away with the bill could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in printing costs, there is no plan to scrap the bill in favor of the more durable coin.

"I really don't see any use for it," Larry Ashbaugh, a retiree from Bristolville, Ohio, said of the dollar coin. "We tried it before. It didn't fly."

A quarter-century ago, the dollar coin showed feminist Susan B. Anthony on the front; then one in 2000 featuring Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian who helped guide the Lewis and Clark expedition.

The latest dollar coin will bear Washington's image, followed later this year by those of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. A different president will appear on the golden dollar coins every three months.

People have strong feelings about their money, even the penny, which occasionally is threatened with elimination.

When people were asked whether the penny should be eliminated, 71 percent said no, according to the poll of 1,000 adults conducted Nov. 28-30 that had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Some fear that getting rid of the penny will cause product prices to be rounded up, perhaps increasing inflation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070211/ap_on_...e/money_ap_poll

[GaryC 7]

Printed and minted money is going out. The only money I ever carry is for the coffee machine at work. Everywhere else I use my debit card. I literally have no more than $20 go through my wallet in any given month.

I don't care if they eliminate the penny and I will not use the dollar coin if for no other reason than they are big and heavy in my pocket. The coffee machine takes dollar bills anyway.

[Mags 112]

When the UK stopped using the pound note the whole of the UK was up in arms and HATED it. But, we adjusted. Now, using a dollar bill seems weird to me, I'm used to coins.

It is just what you are used to, people don't like change (no pun intended!).

[peejay 327]

Printed and minted money is going out. The only money I ever carry is for the coffee machine at work. Everywhere else I use my debit card. I literally have no more than $20 go through my wallet in any given month.

I don't care if they eliminate the penny and I will not use the dollar coin if for no other reason than they are big and heavy in my pocket. The coffee machine takes dollar bills anyway.

Ditto for me too. I rarely carry more than $20 and use my debit card or a credit card (paid off 100% every month) a majority of the time. Online banking and bill payment is the way to go too.

I cringe when I see someone my age holding up the grocery line to pay with a check. I realize that you can't teach some old dogs new tricks.

[keltic 1]

i use my debit card for most things, but have to have change handy for lots of little things... i have found the sacagawea dollar coins very handy... living where i live and using the train, the coins are much easier and quicker to use... the machine doesnt spit them back out because they are too wrinkled or had a folded corner... and sometimes it makes the difference between catching your train and not... they also wont tear

both can be used so, if coins arent handy for some, then those folks just dont have to use them... but i am sure that there are others who will prefer them to the bills (perhaps the blind )

[Savanphil 3]

I never liked dollar coins...I get annoyed when machines give them back as change.

[SoL. 0]

Printed and minted money is going out. The only money I ever carry is for the coffee machine at work. Everywhere else I use my debit card. I literally have no more than $20 go through my wallet in any given month.

I don't care if they eliminate the penny and I will not use the dollar coin if for no other reason than they are big and heavy in my pocket. The coffee machine takes dollar bills anyway.

Ditto for me too. I rarely carry more than $20 and use my debit card or a credit card (paid off 100% every month) a majority of the time. Online banking and bill payment is the way to go too.

I cringe when I see someone my age holding up the grocery line to pay with a check. I realize that you can't teach some old dogs new tricks.

I get sooooo bent out of shape when I see people still use checks to pay at the grocery store line! With this era of check cards, why they still use checks???? I also carry a few bucks and change on my wallet, as I use my checkcard most of the time.

And I wonder why we still use the penny. Last week there was a charity collecting change at work and I gave them a mug full of pennies.....

I agree with Keltic, the dollar coin is good for transportation, it's pretty tough when it's freezing and people have to wait outside the bus for somebody with a wrinkly note that the machine refuses to accept....

Edited February 11, 2007 by Sol-de-Verano

[keltic 1]

I cringe when I see someone my age holding up the grocery line to pay with a check. I realize that you can't teach some old dogs new tricks.

I get sooooo bent out of shape when I see people still use checks to pay at the grocery store line! With this era of check cards, why they still use checks???? I also carry a few bucks and change on my wallet, as I use my checkcard most of the time.

And I wonder why we still use the penny. Last week there was a charity collecting change at work and I gave them a mug full of pennies.....

I agree with Keltic, the dollar coin is good for transportation, it's pretty tough when it's freezing and people have to wait outside the bus for somebody with a wrinkly note that the machine refuses to accept....

when i see someone writing a check now, i immediately think of them needing to float the check... you know, expecting their paycheck the next day or something, so unable to use a debit card that day... the only other reason i can think of would be if they lost their card, but it can be replaced so quickly that it still doesnt make much sense

i LOVE my debit card and online banking... life is SOOOOOOO much simpler with it

Edited February 11, 2007 by keltic

[rebeccajo 14]

I think it's kinda cool. As long as its easily distinguishable from other coins. The Susan B. Anthony coin literally looked like a quarter. No wonder it was rejected.

When I was in the UK, I thought it was fun to have my change actually amount to something! One night I put all my change on the dresser and I had 17 quid!!

[keltic 1]

I think it's kinda cool. As long as its easily distinguishable from other coins. The Susan B. Anthony coin literally looked like a quarter. No wonder it was rejected.

When I was in the UK, I thought it was fun to have my change actually amount to something! One night I put all my change on the dresser and I had 17 quid!!

thats why i like the sacagawea... its gold in color and thicker than a quarter, so very easily distinguished...

foreign money is so much prettier and diverse than ours

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

They need to get rid of the paper $1 bill for the $1 coin to work.

[MissStacey 1]

In Canada we have a $1 coin and a $2 coin. It was weird at first, but you get used to it. Now it is strange when I see one of the old 1 or 2 dollar bills.

[William33 110]

The new $1 coins are being minted as a collectors item. They are gold in color, fairly large and heavy, so not really practical for routine transactions. I plan to collect the entire set.

[sparkofcreation 0]

Oh, I love dollar coins. I used to take the bus and there was always a long line, it was so much nicer to drop a Sacagawea dollar and a quarter in the coin slot than try to get the fussy dollar-bill slots to take a dollar bill and hold everyone up.

[Dr_LHA 3]

Some friends and I had a long debate the other night about the continued existance of the dollar bill. After a while we decided the only reason for its continued existance was to pay poll dancers. Strip clubs are gonna get a lot more expensive if they get rid of the $1 bill.

Not that I go to strip clubs of course*!

*at least, not since my bachelor party.