Comments on: Where to Spend $1 Coins

By: factchecker

factchecker — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:14:13 +0000

Not really, if you put your finger in your pocket a quarter will feel the same it used to look too.

By: factchecker

factchecker — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 05:09:57 +0000

May I add the with commodity prices, the bills are regaining popularity to an extent.

By: factchecker

factchecker — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:30:03 +0000

Why did canada completely rid the bill, not penny

By: Kosmo @ The Casual Observer

Kosmo @ The Casual Observer — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:55:13 +0000

I can easily tell when I have an actual silver coin in my pocket from the distinctive sound it makes. I much prefer that sound to the sound of the other metals, for some reason.

My wife thinks I’m crazy for caring …

By: billsnider

billsnider — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:13:45 +0000

My father once told me that when he was a young boy in WWI Italy, stores made small change in candy. He thought this worked well.

I also think it is a good idea and should be adopted here.

Bill Snider

By: Shirley

Shirley — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:49:57 +0000

We also did this, but with $2 bills. I would tell the receiver that the $2 bill carries good luck for one year and then must be given away freely to renew the luck for the next person.
Yes, they certainly did remember us and often greeted us with, “Hey, I’ve still got my lucky bill!”
I honestly believe that they too passed them along with the story.

By: Donna Freedman

Donna Freedman — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:32:13 +0000

What about airline rewards cards — will each purchase be an extra 250 (or whatever) miles? I’m thinking of trying this with $250 worth and seeing how long it takes me to spend through them.
Here’s my suggestion about tipping, though: Make sure your server knows that these are DOLLAR coins, not quarters! He or she might get tight-jawed otherwise.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:19:24 +0000

I always carry 4 or 5 $1 coins with me, whenever I purchase something I always pay the mod-5 amount in coins. $7.35 = $5 bill and 3 $1 coins, $13.88 = $10 bill and 4 $1 coins. Most vendors dont mind a few coins, but handing over more than 4 at a time annoys some.

I really wish the mint would offer a variety pack, going through 250 of the same type takes some time.

Other useful places:

Toll plazas, vending machines.

By: dintx

dintx — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:38:56 +0000

the mint is ran by the US gov, correct? so why all the hussle and fussle about being “cost effective” and the life span of a dollar bill?

on the other hand, i like the feel/sound of coins in my hand… and since i will be part of the ‘receiving’ end of the redistribution of wealth that our gov is currently setting up… i am glad to hear that i will be getting someone else’s money in metallic form (i would take it in cotton as well)

By: zapeta

zapeta — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:48:11 +0000

I like the dollar coins, and its a lot easier for me to fish around for a couple coins than pulling out my wallet. I’m always afraid that something important will fall out when I pull my wallet out. Plus, I like the idea of the coins lasting a long, long time compared to paper bills.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:26:55 +0000

It seems like a lot of effort to go through for an extra $2.50 to $7.50 per $250 order(depending on your CC program) in reward dollars. Plus, if you spend the coins in areas where you would have used your credit card anyway, that kind of defeats the point of this whole thing because you would have gotten the rewards regardless right?

Sure it can work sometimes like cash-only places or places you want to be nice to and save them the CC fees, but I just don’t think this is worth the trouble.

By: Saving Money Today

Saving Money Today — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:11:07 +0000

I hate carrying around a pocketful of change so the $1 coins would be a bit of a nuisance for me under most circumstances.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:44:00 +0000

In my original article where I mentioned the dollar coins, I said it’s one way to help kill the penny (or at least be more sustainable with cash). I know the dollar coin isn’t meant to replace the penny but it’s better than using the bills.

By: Arvin Bautista

Arvin Bautista — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:15:36 +0000

Jim is mistaken in the article, the dollar coins are meant to replace the dollar bill, not the penny (which has its own controversies). Dollar coins are meant to be a more durable alternative.

By: Jerry

Jerry — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:56:30 +0000

In Los Angeles, a lot of the parking meters take $1 coins now. The ones on Santa Monica Beach all do, including the parking lot multi hour ones.

Here’s a funny thought. I wonder how a dancer would react if you gave them $1 coins at a strip club? Lol!