# Canada is phasing out pennies, is the US next? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 6, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486 "2013-02-06T14:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/21 "2013-02-06T20:41:41Z")
I’m not even sure when the last time I’ve even _touched_ cash money. They can get rid of it all as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Weeping\_Wyvern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@Weeping\_Wyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weeping_Wyvern)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/22 "2013-02-06T21:04:45Z")
I would remove the problem of near-worthless coins simply by adjusting their value. Say that a 2014 dollar bill is equal to ten 2013 dollar bills, and a 2014 penny is equal to ten 2013 pennies. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/23 "2013-02-06T22:16:01Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > As a loyal American, I dread the day I have to pay a nickel for your thoughts. Be glad you’re not Canadian, where now it’s “A beaver for your thoughts”. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/24 "2013-02-06T22:32:54Z")
Get rid of pennies, nickles, quarters and $1.00 bills. Then those Sackies and prezzies will finally get used. there’s also the opportunity for a new 50 cent piece, intermediate in size between the nickle and quarter. > [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](#): > > Be glad you’re not Canadian, where now it’s “A beaver for your thoughts”. You say that like it’s a bad thing. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/25 "2013-02-06T22:46:42Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > No prices have to be rounded to the nearest nickel. Take a grocery store as an example. Leave all the prices the same, scan them into the register and simply round off the total. And you don’t even have to round off the total if you’re paying by debit or credit card. There’s no reason pennies can’t continue to exist in the computers. ---
**Author:** ![MrSquishy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9e5f3/32.png) [@MrSquishy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrSquishy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/26 "2013-02-06T23:54:47Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > And you don’t even have to round off the total if you’re paying by debit or credit card. There’s no reason pennies can’t continue to exist in the computers. I’m in Canada. There’s a guy at my work who’s convinced that retailers will start adjusting their prices so that, with tax added, the prices will always end in a 3, 4, 8 or 9 and we will constantly be getting screwed out of (up to) 2 cents by the rounding. I tried to explain to him that would only work if you only ever buy one item at a time, with cash, but he was having none of it. “It all adds up in the end” he said. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/27 "2013-02-07T00:33:43Z")
My preference would be to get rid of the penny and nickel and use the space in cash drawers for one-dollar and either two-dollar or five-dollar coins. In other words, make coinage in large enough denominations to actually let you buy stuff. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/28 "2013-02-07T00:43:59Z")
We’ll get rid of the penny right around the time we finally switch to the metric system. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/29 "2013-02-07T01:39:41Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > We’ll get rid of the penny right around the time we finally switch to the metric system. Good. Now that that’s settled… What? ---
**Author:** ![winneee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a88e4f/32.png) [@winneee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/winneee)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/30 "2013-02-07T02:19:15Z")
Just stopped in to say I thought Canada was phasing out penises…obviously time for reading glasses 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/31 "2013-02-08T15:34:10Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > About time. I’m for eliminating as many coins as possible. But they have to make it part of a deal that bans dollar coins forever. You are opposed to dollar coins…why? Loonies, Twonies, and nearly indestructible plastic bills are great. And the Aussies are a decade or more ahead of us, I don’t know why we took so long. Why stick with some archaic system that is inefficient and wasteful? Up here all cash is quickly becoming irrelevant. Most transactions are cashless. Debit is available everywhere. Who wants change in their pocket anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/32 "2013-02-08T15:37:58Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I thought Canada phased out penises a long time ago. Yeah, now we use coins for our smaller financial transactions. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/33 "2013-02-08T17:39:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > About time. I’m for eliminating as many coins as possible. But they have to make it part of a deal that bans dollar coins forever. I can go for that! 🆒 I know there are some dollar-coin enthusiasts around here, but the fact is that only a tiny minority of Americans want the damn things. The Mint keeps trying new designs hoping that something will “click,” but nobody cares. Last I heard, they were running through all the US presidents. I hope that when they’ve finished the list, they’ll just quietly retire the dollar coin. As for pennies, I really don’t think that too many people would miss them. Most people just leave them in the “Take a penny, Leave a penny” dish, and I have seen people literally just throw pennies on the ground and walk away, because it’s not worth the trouble to carry them around. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/34 "2013-02-08T18:18:28Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > You are opposed to dollar coins…why? Because people are afraid that they’ll end up walking around with 100 dollar coins clinking in their pockets, even though they currently manage to avoid walking around with 100 one-dollar bills in their pockets. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/35 "2013-02-08T18:22:54Z")
If we must keep coins, dollar coins make sense to me. I love the UK where you can dig into your pocket, find a few coins, and actually have enough money to buy something to eat or drink, possibly both. I don’t understand at all the reticence against dollar or higher coinage in the US. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/36 "2013-02-08T18:24:30Z")
At the very least, with dollar coins I could at least stop playing tug-of-war with the vending machines that never want to take my bills. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/37 "2013-02-09T22:06:33Z")
There is a more radical proposal to get rid of the penny and nickel (sorry, in Canada they are called the one cent and five cent coins) along with the quarter and have a new 20¢ coin and a new $5 coin and start minting loads of 50¢ coins. As in the US, the coin exists but hardly circulates. The reason is obviously that have a dime and quarter as smallest coins creates an obvious problem making change. Of course, that would leave a problem when you want get rid of the dime. I would eliminate the penny, nickel and dime all at once. You can’t buy anything with a dime either. I used to buy a nickel ice cream cone. Now they cost a couple dollars. I used to buy soft pretzels four for a nickel. (Before WW II, they were a penny apiece.) Now they are a dollar minimum. And so it goes. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/38 "2013-02-10T01:31:48Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > There is a more radical proposal to get rid of the penny and nickel (sorry, in Canada they are called the one cent and five cent coins) along with the quarter and have a new 20¢ coin and a new $5 coin and start minting loads of 50¢ coins. As in the US, the coin exists but hardly circulates. The reason is obviously that have a dime and quarter as smallest coins creates an obvious problem making change. Of course, that would leave a problem when you want get rid of the dime. I would eliminate the penny, nickel and dime all at once. You can’t buy anything with a dime either. > > I used to buy a nickel ice cream cone. Now they cost a couple dollars. I used to buy soft pretzels four for a nickel. (Before WW II, they were a penny apiece.) Now they are a dollar minimum. And so it goes. That’s interesting Hari, I’ve always called them pennies and nickels. Dimes and nickles are pretty much useless I agree. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/39 "2013-02-10T01:34:20Z")
Get rid of ALL change US mint has now entirely, and replace it with a 20 cent piece, 1 dollar coin, and 2 or 5 dollar coin. Phase out the 1 dollar and 2/5 dollar bills at the same time. Convert the rest of our bills to polymer. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486/40 "2013-02-10T01:35:52Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > As a loyal American, I dread the day I have to pay a nickel for your thoughts. Well, round to the nearest 5 cents, so that’d be free. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canada-is-phasing-out-pennies-is-the-us-next/649486.md?page=3)