Dollar Coins Making a Comeback?

[Ben]

So I read today that they're releasing four new styles of one dollar coins. Personally, I hate this. Everytime I go to the Post Office to get stamps from the machine, I get change back in those stupid dollar coins that look just like quarters. I haven't seen the new coins, but if they're the same size, I already hate them. Different denomination coins should be of distinctly different sizes.

If the coins were at least made of metal that equaled a dollar in value....otherwise give me easy to carry paper.

/rant

[Car Knocker]

As an aside, most supermarkets seem to sell stamps at no markup; some will also mail packages and issue postal money orders.

[Eleven Mike]

As an aside, most supermarkets seem to sell stamps at no markup;

Yeah, I think that's by law.  The markup part anyway.

[Standing Wolf]

That's government for you: nobody wants dollar coins, so government introduces more dollar coins.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

I wouldn't mind so much if they would at least make a common vending machine that would take the blasted dollar coin.

Ever try explaining to an immigrant convenience store worker that a Sacajawea dollar and a Susan B. Anthony dollar are equal and valid tender?

Ugh.

At least it's something else to give to my young nieces and nephew when I see them.

Regards,
Rabbit.

[Vodka7]

Ever try explaining to an immigrant convenience store worker that a Sacajawea dollar and a Susan B. Anthony dollar are equal and valid tender?

Good Lord, isn't that the truth?  My favorite irony is that here in Philly, the change machines in the train stations give you dollar coins, but well over 50% of the ticket machines don't take them!  And the two are right next to each other!  Not to mention our ticket machines don't even take credit or debit cards.  I guess I'm still spoiled from NYC.

[Devonai]

Ever try explaining to an immigrant convenience store worker that a Sacajawea dollar and a Susan B. Anthony dollar are equal and valid tender?

Hell, I've had 16 year old clerks turn them down.

[Zed]

Wouldn't mind seeing a return of the Silver Dollar mysellf...

[Declaration Day]

I like those dollar coins.  At the time they were released, I (wrongly) assumed they were going to phase out the paper $1 bills.

[K Frame]

"I guess I'm still spoiled from NYC."

There was a long time during which the LIRR machines in Grand Central gave out dollar coins, but wouldn't take them.

I, too, like dollar coins.

But every dollar coin the US will ever make is destined for failure as long as Congress doesn't have the balls to pull the dollar bill from production.

The new coins will have presidents on them, starting with George Washington, 3 months later John Adams, 3 months after that Thomas Jefferson, and so forth and so on.

This is a series that I might actually collect.

[lee n. field]

That's government for you: nobody wants dollar coins, so government introduces more dollar coins.

Nobody wants dollar coins that look like they're made of brass, or can be mistaken for quarters.  What were they thinking?

[Mr_Dove]

I agree with those who said we should phase out the paper dollar and transition to a dollar coin.  Paper money is a recurring expense that costs us tax dollars.  It has to be regularly destroyed and replaced with new currency.  Coins last virtually forever.

[Vodka7]

There was a long time during which the LIRR machines in Grand Central gave out dollar coins, but wouldn't take them.

The LIRR doesn't run into Grand Central, maybe you meant the Metro North?  Or Penn Station? But, I didn't know that.  I just don't see why I should have to wait on line, talk to a person, hand over my CC, and wait for a receipt when in NYC I could do the same transaction in 30 seconds at a machine.

But, to stay on topic, one of the things I really don't like about going to Canada is having to carry around a pocketful of heavy coins to pay for anything.  I feel like a grandmother rooting around in my pocket to produce a handful of coins that I then have to pick around in with my finger to find the right change.

I do like that the new coins are gold colored, which will make things a bit easier--as easy to pick out as a Susan B Anthony, but still round, like a coin should be.

[K Frame]

"The LIRR doesn't run into Grand Central, maybe you meant the Metro North?"

You're right, it was the Metro North. I'd take Amtrak into Penn Station, then grab a taxi over to Grand Central and take Metro North to the White Plains Station where my girlfriend would pick me up.

The first time I plugged a $10 into the fare machine to get a ticket and saw only a couple of coins drop down I was SORELY pissed. I was sure that the machine had shorted me, until I realized that the quarters it had given me were Susan Bs.

Occasionally she'd meet me at Grand Central and we'd have dinner at the Oyster Bar.

GREAT seafood, but holy crap, the stale urine smells in the halls getting to the restaurant were atrocious.

[grampster]

I hate coins.  They take up too much space in pockets.  Imagine carrying $10.00 worth of dollar coins.  You'd get back trouble from walking on a slant.

[BrokenPaw]

From the site that Vodka7 linked:

Although the size, weight and metal composition of the new Presidential $1 Coin will be identical to that of the Golden Dollar featuring Sacagawea,

Is that's the case, the new coin is not something I'll be using; those Sacagawea dollars corroded at the drop of a hat.

-BP

[crt360]

If they'll get enough into circulation, I think the dollar coins would be alright.  I can't remember when they came out, but I've had exactly two of the Sackofwejee dollars.  I've seen so few that I actually kept those two.  I'm sure a lot of other folks around here did the same thing, thinking they had something rare.  Don't give us rare, changing-faces-several-times-a-year, collectors coins - give us something that's easy to distinguish from a quarter, but not too fancy (like that gold crap that turns brown after you touch it), and give us lots of them.

[thebaldguy]

From "The Simpsons" on dollar coins:

"...you can take it to the bank and get a real dollar!"

I love that one.

I was 14 when the Susan B. Anthony coins came out. My mom came home from the bank and showed me the new coin.

"It looks like a quarter, Mom!"

Few machines took the coins in those days. Not many more take them today. A muncipal parking ramp owned by the city gives the Sacagawea coins as change, but it won't take them. Figure that one out.

I know most countries have dollar coins. I know most countries have strippers as well. I'm guessing they solved that problem.

I see the problems with coins vs. bills. I cashed in 40 Sacagawea dollars a week ago. It was awkward having that much weight in a coat pocket. I know coins are heavy and bills wear out causing replacement costs. The feds could simply quit printing dollar bills and force us all to use dollar coins, but public opinion will never allow that without a huge fight. I can't believe that Nixon will be on a dollar coin down the road. They should have stuck with Sacagawea. I'm sure lots of folks feel the same way about other bad presidents too numerous to mention. I have been told the 50 state quarters are a money maker for the feds; I guess they're trying the same thing with a larger denomination to remove dollars from circulation and into peoples' collections.

[doczinn]

The reason so many machines give them as change is because people don't like them. It's one more example of the government trying to make you behave they way they want you to. People aren't using them voluntarily, so we'll give them out in places where the people have no option. Notice it's government machines? Private sector machines don't do that.

The reason so many machines won't accept them for payment is because people don't like them. Why spend the time and money to update the machines for a coin nobody uses?

[El Tejon]

Love dollar coins.  Wish they would quit making Butch Bucks (having women on them) and instead give us the Ike Dollars back.

[Lee]

I think there is a method behind the Governments' madness.  People tend to stash these different coins rather than spend them.  Neat and sneaky way to foster savings IMHO.

[Kharn]

What really screwed me up on a visit to Germany was the 2Euro coin.  I mean seriously, a coin worth around $5?!

[K Frame]

"The reason so many machines give them as change is because people don't like them. It's one more example of the government trying to make you behave they way they want you to."

 

Yep, funny how virtually all of the machines that give dollar coins in change are held by PRIVATE companies...

The only official government use of dollar coins as change that I know of is stamp machines, and they're kind of few and far between.

Railroads, parking companies and the like like dollar coins because kicking a coin out of a machine as change is a LOT less of a hassle. Bill dispensing machines require a lot more servicing to ensure that they're working correctly.

[doczinn]

Yep, funny how virtually all of the machines that give dollar coins in change are held by PRIVATE companies...

You think mass transit and municipal parking garages are run by private companies? Not in any way that matters, they aren't.

[wingnutx]

I just got dollar coins back from a USPS machine.

That's the price I pay for being able to put a five dollar bill into the slot.

I just hope the new coins will be larger, not quarter-sized.