# Does the (possible) new dollar coin have any hope for success? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 27, 2005, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440 "2005-04-27T21:12:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/81 "2005-05-04T23:22:58Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > To continue the hijack, how common is it to get a $2? I only tip with $2s (AFAIK I’m the only one in my area who does) and the guys I tip certainly seem appreciative, and disappointed if I happen to be out (although I imagine their disappointment largely stems from not getting double a standard tip for the same effort like they usually do). Since **Unregistered Bull** has been so kind as to [start a thread discussing this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=315052), let’s move our hijack over there. =) I can’t post in that thread atm, cause I’m actually about to dash out the door for work, but I’ll respond later tonight when i get home. See you over there! =) ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/82 "2005-05-05T03:12:17Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t know how we can determine the usefulness of a bill, considering they’re all the same physical size. Do you mean to say that not that many things cost around $2, while many things do cost around $1 and $5? OK, maybe I wasn’t too clear. What I mean is this: carrying around one $1 bill is no trouble at all. Carrying around two $1 bills is still no trouble at all. Five $1 bills, however, is starting to become a bit much, and ten or twenty of them is way to bulky. Thus, 5, 10, and 20 are convenient multiples for dollar bills, while 2 is superfluous. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/83 "2005-05-05T14:27:13Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > You assume that having a pocket full of Sackies is the only real alternative to $1 bills. > > If Sackie and $2 bill production went up, and $1 bill dropped from circulation, I doubt you would end up with only a bunch of Sackies to lug around. You would more likely have many $2 bills and maybe a few Sackies. This is what I’ve been saying for years. This new idea (the presidential dollar coins) won’t make a darned bit of difference in people actually _using_ dollar coins, IMO. They will be collectible, probably, and people will save them and put them in frames and binders and so on, but they still won’t _use_ them to pay for things unless dollar bills are pulled from circulation. I think they ought to yank the dollar bills and increase the production of $2 bills and the most recent golden coins. There is an extra coin compartment in cash drawers where the dollar coins can reside, and the $2 bills can go in what used to be the $1 space. People will bitch (because people hate change), but it will all catch on eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/84 "2005-05-05T15:01:28Z")
> [@Jess](#): > > People will bitch (because people hate change) People hate “change” or people hate “change”? 😉 Anyway, in sum, I think we should drop the penny, nickel, dime, and 1 bill. Round all transactions to the nearest .25. Increase production of the $1 coin and $2 bill. If this plan is implemented, in cash tills, the $1 bill slot will become the 2 bill slot. Three coin slots will open up. Of those three slots, two will be used to accommodate the .50 and $1 coins. The third slot will be free for any use. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/85 "2005-05-05T15:16:14Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > People hate “change” or people hate “change”? 😉 Both. I agree with you – let’s make them implement your plan. When people complain, we’ll just remind them, “Change is _good_ (so long as it isn’t in pennies, nickels, dimes, or $1 bills).” ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/86 "2005-05-05T15:44:51Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > That’s essentially ho it works. My euro cents coins tend to pile up I suppose one’s mileage may vary. When I was in Germany, in the days of marks and pfennigs, I found that no particular denomination would pile up because it was easy to get exact or nearly-exact change. If something was a pfennig or two over the nearest _Fuenfer_, I’d just add the necessary number of pfennigs to my payment. ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/87 "2005-05-05T18:14:04Z")
Unless I overlooked it in a previous post, no one has yet mentioned the principal reason for keeping the one dollar bill - liar’s poker. In fact, if I recall correctly, that was the reason for introducing them in the first place. So unless you’re going to stamp a serial number on coins - the dollar bill must not pass away. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/88 "2005-05-05T18:31:25Z")
> [@Alonzo John Blitz](#): > > Unless I overlooked it in a previous post, no one has yet mentioned the principal reason for keeping the one dollar bill - liar’s poker. In fact, if I recall correctly, that was the reason for introducing them in the first place. So unless you’re going to stamp a serial number on coins - the dollar bill must not pass away. Uhm… What is Liar’s Poker? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/89 "2005-05-05T18:58:42Z")
[…and how about those new pennies?](http://www.theonion.com/news/index.php?issue=4118&n=3) ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/90 "2005-05-05T22:19:43Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > […and how about those new pennies?](http://www.theonion.com/news/index.php?issue=4118&n=3) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/91 "2005-05-05T23:02:34Z")
> [@etmiller](#): > > I don’t know how we can determine the usefulness of a bill, considering they’re all the same physical size. Do you mean to say that not that many things cost around $2, while many things do cost around $1 and $5? > > . The problem with the $2 bill is that even two dollars is that with $5 and singles–the latter hopefully to be replaced by a coin one day–there’s simply not that much need for denomination in between. Before the inflation of the later XX century it might have made sense to have singles, $2-, and $5-dollar bills, since back then that would have been about like a 10, a 20, and 50 today. But now those amounts are so small there’s just not enough use for a two. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/92 "2005-05-05T23:36:28Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > heh…“Is that a roll of Sackies in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?” > > see, that’s funny because the gold dollar comes in rolls of 20–that’s about 3 inches…OK, I’ll go now Actually **inigo** they’re in rolls of $25 [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/93 "2005-05-06T04:17:57Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Uhm… What is Liar’s Poker? [The rules.](http://wizardofodds.com/games/liars-poker.html)😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/94 "2005-05-06T23:08:36Z")
Thank you, Silenus. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/95 "2005-05-07T00:07:22Z")
> [@5 time champ](#): > > I can’t wait for the Polk-Taylor-Fillmore-Pierce set to come out. What about the Arthur-Cleveland-Harrison-Cleveland set? How’re they gonna pull _that_ off? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/96 "2005-05-07T13:04:53Z")
A couple of years ago I was using the postage stamp machine kiosk thingie and used a $20 to pay for something like $3 in stamps. My change was all in Susan B. Anthony’s. I thought that was way cool that the government could do that, yet the machine wouldn’t accept them, and I had loads of fun using them to pay for my drive thru purchases. I look forward to the new dollar coin. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/97 "2005-05-08T16:06:03Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > That doesn’t mean it has to be _larger_ than the other coins. A different choice of metals will give it a unique weight, and it can be thicker than the others (both the case with the British pound). I agree with size being an issue. I thought the main complaint about the Susie Bs was that they resembled quarters too much in size (in fact, when I was a kid, I remember using Susie Bs in 25 cent gumball machines! Whoops.) Then, when they decided to resurrect the dollar coin in the Sackie, they decide in all their brilliance to make a coin that, once again, is pretty much the same fucking size as a quarter…except it’s gold colored. :rolleyes: I love the idea of a dollar coin, but I always have to look extra carefully to make sure I’m not inadvertantly spending Susies or Sackies. The three coins are not readily distinguishable, especially in dim lighting. It’s just plain stupid. What I would like, though, is a coin like the British pound. It’s smaller (maybe the size of a nickel), but noticable thicker. It’s got a good weight to it. It’s a coin you could launch at somebody’s head and hurt them with it. This is a very good coin. I suppose the main problem with this is you would have to alter so many coin slots to accommodate the new dollar coin. I still think that in the long run it would be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440/98 "2005-05-08T16:44:41Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > I agree with size being an issue. I thought the main complaint about the Susie Bs was that they resembled quarters too much in size (in fact, when I was a kid, I remember using Susie Bs in 25 cent gumball machines! Whoops.) Then, when they decided to resurrect the dollar coin in the Sackie, they decide in all their brilliance to make a coin that, once again, is pretty much the same fucking size as a quarter…except it’s gold colored. :rolleyes: Well, in theory, you can easily tell the difference by running your thumb or finger along the edge of the coin to feel the ridges (or lack of, in any case.) Though, now that I think about it, rather than making the Sackies ridgeless, they should have given it some distinctive ridge pattern to make it easy to tell apart from an old well-used quarter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-possible-new-dollar-coin-have-any-hope-for-success/301440.md?page=4)