Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Why the US Keeps Minting Coins People Hate

Posted by samzenpus on from the how-I-learned-to-love-the-$1-coin dept.

CeruleanDragon writes "In hidden vaults across the country, the US government is building a stockpile of $1 coins. The hoard has topped $1.1bn — imagine a stack of coins reaching almost seven times higher than the International Space Station — and the piles have grown so large the US Federal Reserve is running out of storage space."

4 of 89 comments (clear)

  1. Railgun ammunition? by euyis · · Score: 3, Funny

    Imagine soldiers firing compact railguns with these dollars as ammo at the bad guys... extremly effective if the enemies run to pick up the coins.

  2. Re:Where to get them... by hipp5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The only way the $1 coin will ever be adopted is if they stop circulating the $1 paper currency. Additionally, it will require vending machine companies to replace all their coin slots to accept $1 coins, rather than having the $1 bill slot. While it shouldn't be an impossible task, since coin slots are available in other countries, and there should be an easy migration route, it would still be an expense.

    Ehh it's not too big a deal. I remember when they came out with the toonie and the vendors complained about having to update their machines. They got over it though.

    There are problems though. Either it would reduce the tips in strip clubs, since you couldn't pay in $1 bills, or it would increase their revenue since you'd now be paying with $5 bills. No girl likes coins tossed at her.

    Funny you should mention that. I've heard tell from my oil field buddies that there are strip clubs in Alberta where the girls have set up a little game. The game works like this: they tape stuff to their nipples (usually posters and such), and the audience throws loonies at them. If you knock the object off with your loonie you get to keep it as a prize.

  3. It's simple, really. by djlemma · · Score: 2, Funny

    You can't easily slip a $1 coin into a stripper's g-string.

  4. Re:Dumb coins by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Funny

    Contrast this to the UK and EU

    You were doing so well up until that point. Don't you know it's unAmerican to do what other countries do, even if it's demonstrably superior?

    I can imagine the headline if theodp saw your post in a news story: "US plans to adopt Euro!".

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."