[nredman]

WASHINGTON - The House on Wednesday approved a new gold-colored coin bearing the faces of presidents to join the unpopular $1 Sacagawea coin in circulation, hoping a new design will spur use of dollar coins.

By a 422-6 vote, the House approved a plan for the U.S. Mint to begin selling the coins early next year.

The bill also creates what would be the nation's first investment-grade 24-karat gold bullion coin. Intended for collectors, it would carry portraits of first ladies and a have a face value of $10 but sell for many times that amount at fluctuating prices based on the price of gold.

The new dollar coins would be the same shape, size and makeup of the gold-colored $1 coins now bearing the face of Sacagawea. The coins imprinted with her face would remain in circulation.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ress_gold_coin

i think these will be unpopular too, except for collectors.

[turtle777]

I'm willing to pay 50 cents for each coin...

-t

[nonhuman]

I don't get why they're so unpopular. After using 1 yuan coins in Shanghai and 1 yuan bills in Beijing I can certainly say that the coins are a lot more convenient.

Also, when I was in London it was very satisfying to be able to buy a pint with two £1 coins (or one £2...). Just feels right to be able to slap a couple of coins down on the bar and walk away with a pint.

[MilkmanDan]

I was very happy to use 100 yen and 500 yen coins ($1 and $5 respectively) while in Japan. Why we still use paper money for $1s and $5 is just stupid.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by MilkmanDan

I was very happy to use 100 yen and 500 yen coins ($1 and $5 respectively) while in Japan. Why we still use paper money for $1s and $5 is just stupid.

Cuz strippers don't like coins thrown at 'em.

[d4nth3m4n]

i get the sense that vending machines and parking meters never were upgraded to take the coin, thus killing their relevance.

if i could use them in all the ways i can use other coins, you're damn right i'd carry them around.

[nredman]

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Cuz strippers don't like coins thrown at 'em.

that just gave me an image of change coming out of a "slot" or coin return - nevermind i am sick

[sideus]

The problem with the Sacagawea was that they only minted 240 million or so. That isn't enough for every person in the US to have 1. Then you have the people who go to the bank and collect a bunch of them and you see why the Sacagawea is not as prevalent as they hoped it would be.

[ThinkInsane]

I hate having a pocket full of change. Singles in my wallet are preferable to coin's clinking when I walk. Besides, every time I go to Canada, I forget about the $1 and $2 coins, and end up boosting the income of panhandlers far more than I meant too.

[Severed Hand of Skywalker]

Canada has had $1 & $2 coins for ages, it is much cheaper than bills.

[Eug Wanker]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane

I hate having a pocket full of change. Singles in my wallet are preferable to coin's clinking when I walk. Besides, every time I go to Canada, I forget about the $1 and $2 coins, and end up boosting the income of panhandlers far more than I meant too.

I hate having a wallet full of 1 dollar bills. Dollar and two-dollar coins in my pocket are preferable to having a big thick wallet pressing against my assets when I walk. Besides, every time I go to the US, I am left over with a bunch of single bills, and end up boosting the income of the whomever cleans my hotel room after I leave.

[ghporter]

I agree that they didn't mint enough of the Sacagawea dollars, and that's why they haven't caught on. If they were EVERYWHERE then they'd just become part of the background and people would use them a lot more.

I like using them when we go to renaissance faires. It's cool to be able to tip musicians with something that goes "clunk!" Not so good for bar wenches though-they're kind of cold!

[ManOfSteal]

Debit. Card.

[MilkmanDan]

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Cuz strippers don't like coins thrown at 'em.

See, as I understand it in Japan, you pay at the door and you don't tip. Plus the girls take credit card....

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by MilkmanDan

See, as I understand it in Japan, you pay at the door and you don't tip. Plus the girls take credit card....

Where do you swipe the card???

[d4nth3m4n]

oh man.

[PurpleGiant]

During my brief time in the US recently, I got some $1 coins to use on things like payphones, vending machines, ticket machines and all other things that use coins.

But **** me, none of these took $1 coins!! So here I was needing to make a $3 phone call on a payphone, and putting in freakin 50 cents or quarters at a time! Surely these are the ideal place to accept $1 coins?

As an aside, I also found many payphones taking quarters as the largest coin. Now that's even more mayhem. But $1 notes are nice for tipping. I'd feel tight giving a coin-tip.

[Brass]

Welcome to the 80's, when most other countries successfully replaced lower denomination bills with coins. Of course, the key to being successful, is to remove the old notes from circulation (ie, at the banks). If Uncle Sam was willing to take this extra step, there would be no problem getting people to use the coins.

[maxintosh]

I like the idea of the $1 coins, but the color they use is hideous. It doesn't look like gold at all.

I'm not sure why some random president staring at you from the coin would make it any more popular but who knows...

[MrForgetable]

one 10 dollar bill > ten 1 dollar coins

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by PurpleGiant

During my brief time in the US recently, I got some $1 coins to use on things like payphones, vending machines, ticket machines and all other things that use coins.

But **** me, none of these took $1 coins!! So here I was needing to make a $3 phone call on a payphone, and putting in freakin 50 cents or quarters at a time! Surely these are the ideal place to accept $1 coins?

As an aside, I also found many payphones taking quarters as the largest coin. Now that's even more mayhem. But $1 notes are nice for tipping. I'd feel tight giving a coin-tip.

Where'd you get 50¢ coins?

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Where'd you get 50¢ coins?

When I go get the paper in the morning, I always make sure I have two quarters on me, cuz if I pay for it with a single, the guy at the news stand seems to have a never ending supply of fifty cent pieces, which I then have to dump on someone else.

[maxintosh]

Originally Posted by PurpleGiant

During my brief time in the US recently, I got some $1 coins to use on things like payphones, vending machines, ticket machines and all other things that use coins.

But **** me, none of these took $1 coins!! So here I was needing to make a $3 phone call on a payphone, and putting in freakin 50 cents or quarters at a time! Surely these are the ideal place to accept $1 coins?

As an aside, I also found many payphones taking quarters as the largest coin. Now that's even more mayhem. But $1 notes are nice for tipping. I'd feel tight giving a coin-tip.

Payphones are kinda dying out in the US (in most of the world really), but most vending machines take dollar bills. The $1 coins are new and haven't really caught on, so vendors don't feel pressed to replace the machines yet.

What really got me was all the vending machines in London that don't take bills, including the Underground machines. (A couple Tube machines took credit cards but were always out of order.) So you had to wait in queue for the next 2 years of your life to buy a travelcard... I guess it's hard to make a vending machine that can accept multiple size bills? I hadn't really thought about it...

And $.50 coins are really rare, they aren't really intended for general circulation AFAIK.

[maxintosh]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane

When I go get the paper in the morning, I always make sure I have two quarters on me, cuz if I pay for it with a single, the guy at the news stand seems to have a never ending supply of fifty cent pieces, which I then have to dump on someone else.

Yeah but the look on their face is always priceless

[screamingFit]

Why are they wasting time with this again? Until it is pushed as a replacement and a deadline to conversion is put in place from paper, it just becomes a stupid waste of time. Coin collectors and hoarders will get their panties in a bunch over these but the average citizen won't give a crap.

Perhaps there's more important things these lawmakers need to be concerning themselves with? In hindsite, though, anything that keeps them too wrapped up to pass more PATRIOT type laws is a good thing!

[Randman]

The dollar coins make sense. The Euro and Singapore dollar (among others) use single coins. Easier for bills for the small purchases. If not, a debit card and go cashless.

[Eriamjh]

As long as the coin isn't the same size as the stupid Sacagewhaddyacallit, I'd use it! Give me the Eisenhower dollar coin any time! It's HUGE!

[andi*pandi]

the reason they made the sacagawea dollar that size, is so that it would be easier to retrofit vending machines for it... but the vending machine folks didn't take the hint. Then there were the people who whined that they were too similar to quarters, they couldn't tell the difference... hello, GOLD.

I've only gotten 1$ coins back from the post office vending machine. I liked them.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Canada has had $1 & $2 coins for ages, it is much cheaper than bills.

Really ?

So you can get a $ 2 coins for like a 1 $ bill or so ?
What's the exchange rate between bills and coins ?



-t

[SSharon]

The only time I get the gold coins in the US is from the New Jersey Transit vending machines. There is nothing as surprising as buying a $6 ticket with a $20 bill and getting all the change in gold coins.
I really enjoy the coins in Israel were they have coins worth about $1.25 and $2.50 now those are convenient, although like some of you here I hate carrying change in my pocket. Bills or plastic for me.

[His Dudeness]

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Canada has had $1 & $2 coins for ages, it is much cheaper than bills.

Yeah, now us Americans can have our very own Loony.

[andi*pandi]

that's not a nice thing to say about the President.

[MacNStein]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

that's not a nice thing to say about the President.

I thought he was talking about Ted Kennedy?

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by ThinkInsane

When I go get the paper in the morning, I always make sure I have two quarters on me, cuz if I pay for it with a single, the guy at the news stand seems to have a never ending supply of fifty cent pieces, which I then have to dump on someone else.

Weird. I think I've seen maybe 5 in my life. I actually had to think about whether or not they even existed at first.

[ThinkInsane]

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

I hate having a wallet full of 1 dollar bills. Dollar and two-dollar coins in my pocket are preferable to having a big thick wallet pressing against my assets when I walk. Besides, every time I go to the US, I am left over with a bunch of single bills, and end up boosting the income of the whomever cleans my hotel room after I leave.

I wasn't kidding about that. When we were in Ottawa last, I figured I would use a panhandler to get rid of a pocket full of change (I really hate change), so I dumped it on him, petted his dog, and walked away. My girlfriend said "You do realize you just gave that bum about $30, don't you?". Tho which I replied "****!".

A few years ago, probably '98 or '99, I had to get tokens (or passes, whatever, I don't remember) for the light rail in Baltimore. I put a five in, and it gave me Susan B. Anthony dollars for change. I hadn't yet come to the US when these things were circulated, and had never seen one before. My girlfriend at the time was from Spain, so she'd never seen one before either. I said "What the hell are these, and what the hell am I supposed to do with them?" She replied "I don't know, throw them out?" An older lady waiting to use the token machine said "Those are dollars, you jack ass".

[Secret__Police]

I can finaly replace the unopened $25.00 roll of Sacagawea dollars I have been hoarding all these years.

[Paco500]

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Canada has had $1 & $2 coins for ages, it is much cheaper than bills.

The reason they haven't caught on in the US is the lack of a whimsical nickname. "It costs a Loony" sounds much more fun then "it costs a sack."

[wdlove]

I think that it is another waste on money.

[Dr. Wahnsinn]

Originally posted by screamingFit:
Until it is pushed as a replacement and a deadline to conversion is put in place from paper, it just becomes a stupid waste of time.

BINGO! When Canada introduced the $1 coin, it was made well known that in one year the $1 paper note would be withdrawn from circulation, thus requiring the use of the coin. If the U.S. government wants the public to use the coin, the choice between paper and metal will have to be taken away from them.

[Demonhood]

the reason the previous dollar coin never caught on was because they only distributed them thru Wal-Mart and the post office. since they were in such limited release, there was no demand from consumers for vending machines/pay phones/etc.. to be made $1 coin compliant.

personally i like em. anything that allows me to pay without reaching into my wallet is a plus in my book.

[Montezuma58]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

the reason they made the sacagawea dollar that size, is so that it would be easier to retrofit vending machines for it... but the vending machine folks didn't take the hint. Then there were the people who whined that they were too similar to quarters, they couldn't tell the difference... hello, GOLD.

I've only gotten 1$ coins back from the post office vending machine. I liked them.

They made the Sacagawea dollar the same size as the Susan B. Anthony dollar so machines that took the Susan B's would not have to be redesigned. They spent a great deal of effort making sure the new dollar coins would work with machines that accepted the Susan B. dollars. I don't understand why they restricted themselves like this. Before the Sacagawea dollars, the only place I had seen machines that used dollar coins were post offices.

The new dollar coins are still too much like the quarter for my taste. I find it hard to distinguish it from quarters by touch when I'm trying to get one out of my pocket. They should have made it in between the quarter and half dollar in size.

[d4nth3m4n]

Originally Posted by MrForgetable

one 10 dollar bill > ten 1 dollar coins

yeah, until you need change, numbnuts.

[Eriamjh]

Originally Posted by Montezuma58

They made the Sacagawea dollar the same size as the Susan B. Anthony dollar so machines that took the Susan B's would not have to be redesigned.

Yeah. Both of them.

[MrForgetable]

Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n

yeah, until you need change, numbnuts.

easy. if you don't have change for my ten, i won't buy from you, numbnuts.

[JHromadka]

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Cuz strippers don't like coins thrown at 'em.

Obviously you've never been to Calgary.

[Kilbey]

Slap a twenty to the outside of this thing and yer blingin'

[Lancer409]

the coin also features smooth sides, instead of the ridges of a quarter.

penny, smooth. dime, rough. nickle, small and smooth, compared to a quarter who's big and rough. and the sacajawea coin is smooth rimmed so you can tell it's bigger than a quarter, and the smooth side tells you it's not a quarter (so you can tell in pocket as well)

[Athens]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi

that's not a nice thing to say about the President.

HAHAHAHAHAHA by all means adopt loonie as the name of the US coin if there is a presedent bush is on it, I wont have a problem with that at all. Canada's one dollar coin, named the loonie has a Loone Bird on the front

[Athens]

Originally Posted by JHromadka

Obviously you've never been to Calgary.

My stupid friend decided to really chuck one hard and got her well you know, she was pissed lol

[Drakino]

Originally Posted by d4nth3m4n

i get the sense that vending machines and parking meters never were upgraded to take the coin, thus killing their relevance.

if i could use them in all the ways i can use other coins, you're damn right i'd carry them around.

Thats what bugs me. The "modern" $1 coin came out in 1979, not 2000. The new one in 2000 were made to be compatible with any vending machine that accepted the old ones. Every vending machine in my building accepts them fine, and the change machine takes bills up to $20 and tosses out $1 coins.

Now if only we could get the $1 coin to replace the bill, and even better, come out with a $2 coin. But I don't see it happening anytime soon, we are still too stubborn to switch to a logical measurement system.