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Dollar coins vs. dollar bills: The debate
The Chief Justice John Marshall Silver Dollar was unveiled May 4, 2005 at the Supreme Court Upper Great Hall in Washington, D.C. Some Senators would like dollar coins to replace dollar bills completely.
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All morning long we've been asking for your opinion on coins vs. bills. And in today's Mid-Day Extra, we're going to read a few your responses.
First up: the problem with coins, when it comes to tips.
Michele Alexander wrote, "I don't need the weight of coin in my purse, pockets, etc. -- bad for the back."
Another big concern about coins we heard: they fall out of your pocket.
Kenneth DuPuis commented, "Not that I use cash very much, but there's nothing like sitting on a sofa in Europe and having eight euros end up under the cushion."
Plus, the coins are noisy.
Maureen Franklin says she's all for the dollar bill, because "thieves cannot hear paper in my pocket!"
But of course, not everyone is a coin hater.
Alberto Zuniga writes, "Coins! Absolutely. It is kind of ridiculous that we haven't made the switch yet. Are we in some sort of competition to be the last industrialized nation to use a dollar bill?"
And one more opinion from Linda Chenoweth Harlow: "Neither one stays in my wallet long enough to matter."
So what do you think? Should we "change" how we do money here in the U.S.?
Let us know on our Facebook page.
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I'm a subway musician in NYC and definitely vote for the $1 coin. It's easier to toss a coin than to have to pull a bill from a wallet and watch it float hopefully into a tip bag. Commuters pass at a quick pace, anything slowing them down are mental infractions and petty inconveniences. When a subway performer changes that perspective if but for an instant, it's magic to watch, I'm for the coin.
I find the dollar coins quite convenient--much easier to use than $1 bills. I'd rather have 10 of the coins in my pockets than 10 more bills making my billfold bulge in my back pocket. But I seldom have 10 of the coins at one time anyway. I keep a supply in the car. It is sure a lot easier to use a coin in a vending machine and yesterday I used one in a parking meter. They sure take up less space than four quarters and are great for use on public transportation, toll bridges, etc. I don't think they have been given a chance. I have encountered clerks who don't know what they are and have never been offered one in change even when I can see them in the cash register. A $2 coin would be helpful as well. And get rid of the presidents on them. How about some regular heroes of American history? Martin Luther King, Amelia Earhart, Jackie Robinson, Charles Lindburgh, Red Cloud, Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, etc. Why do we so slow to accept positive change? We haven't even adopted the metric system yet. If the Canadians and Mexicans can do it, I think we can figure it out.
We need to quit using pennies. That way, the additional space in the coin box on cash registers can be used for dollar coins. The dollar coins should be smaller so they don't take up so much room in the pocket and so they can be handled by current vending machines. They need to be of a distinctive size for blind persons.
Phew! First of all, those two jokers haven't a clue what's going on. They are so far removed from reality I am constantly amazed at who we have making decisions for us. I'd love to see either one of them trudge around town with about fifteen dollar coins for day to day business. I, as do a goodly number of people I know, always make it a point to have plenty of ones. (At this very moment I have nine one dollar bills and in the next couple of days they will be back into the system. Then I'll get more.) First, for tips. It's part of a doing business. If they git rid of the ones I highly suspect it will negatively impact our service sector because people will not pack around all that coinage and they will not give a five when one or two is the tip at hand. Second, for those far too many homeless I/we encounter far too often. That $ gets put back into the economy pretty darn quick. I know I will no longer be making such donation if I have to tote around a pouch of doubloons. It's just flat out stupid. They are stupid. Aren't we supposed to be moving forward; not backward? And saving money? Hmmm . . . . The amount your guest mentioned is a pittance. If they want to really save money they could start with all their salaries and benefits; they could stop shipping funds to not-so-nice bad other governments just so we can do business; they could tax their friends who pay no taxes -- and the list could go on. I bet a dollar that that there are some rat nice and friendly coin makers making attractive suggestions to them that they should get rid of the ones. Enough . . . Thanks for the excellent reportage.
Phew! First of all, those two jokers haven't a clue what's going on. They are so far removed from reality I am constantly amazed at who we have making decisions for us. I'd love to see either one of them trudge around town with about fifteen dollar coins for day to day business. I, as do a goodly number of people I know, always make it a point to have plenty of ones. (At this very moment I have nine one dollar bills and in the next couple of days they will be back into the system. Then I'll get more.) First, for tips. It's part of a doing business. If they git rid of the ones I highly suspect it will negatively impact our service sector because people will not pack around all that coinage and they will not give a five when one or two is the tip at hand. Second, for those far too many homeless I/we encounter far too often. That $ gets put back into the economy pretty darn quick. I know I will no longer be making such donation if I have to tote around a pouch of doubloons. It's just flat out stupid. They are stupid. Aren't we supposed to be moving forward; not backward? And saving money? Hmmm . . . . The amount your guest mentioned is a pittance. If they want to really save money they could start with all their salaries and benefits; they could stop shipping funds to not-so-nice bad other governments just so we can do business; they could tax their friends who pay no taxes -- and the list could go on. I bet a dollar that that there are some rat nice and friendly coin makers making attractive suggestions to them that they should get rid of the ones. Enough . . . Thanks for the excellent reportage.
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