# George Washington dollar coin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093 "2016-09-28T00:07:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/81 "2016-10-06T03:36:07Z")
I wonder why the US $2 bill has not become more popular due to inflation. Think of the many items that could be purchased with a single bill: convenience store coffee, sodas, candy bars, etc. Hardly anything is less than $1, but many things are between $1 and $2. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/82 "2016-10-06T03:53:18Z")
There’s an [article](http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/imagining-a-cashless-world) in the current issue of The New Yorker about Sweden’s move towards a cashless economy: > [@](#): > > By 2014, only a fifth of Swedish retail transactions were being conducted in cash. (In the U.S., it’s slightly less than half.) Swedish ticket machines for trains and buses usually take only cards; increasingly, cafés and bars and restaurants refuse cash, too. About half of the country’s bank branches don’t allow withdrawals or deposits in bills. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/83 "2016-10-06T04:22:49Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I wonder why the US $2 bill has not become more popular due to inflation. Think of the many items that could be purchased with a single bill: convenience store coffee, sodas, candy bars, etc. Hardly anything is less than $1, but many things are between $1 and $2. It doesn’t really matter what would be convenient to _consumers_. What incentive do retailers have to find a slot for $2 bills in their registers? They decide pretty much everything about what circulates under $20. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/84 "2016-10-06T04:47:18Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > There are sometimes separate makers for the bill-changer part and the coin-change part of vending machines. Thus part of the vending machine industry is strongly opposed to dollar coins. Sure, but wouldn’t the manufacturers of machines find it profitable to drop one of those components? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/85 "2016-10-06T05:06:27Z")
Am I correct that the Jefferson $2 note hasn’t had a do-over like the 5, 10, and 20? The images I can find on-line seem similar in design to the Washington $1, particularly the borders on the note and the images of Washington and Jefferson being in cartouches, unlike the 5, 10, and 20. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/86 "2016-10-06T05:08:41Z")
That’s correct. There’s little need to redesign it since it doesn’t really circulate. If it became problematic, I imagine they’d just stop making it. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/87 "2016-10-06T09:27:04Z")
The $2 bill was redesigned for the bicentennial, but that was 40 years ago. It hasn’t changed since. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/88 "2016-10-06T15:47:40Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > I wonder why the US $2 bill has not become more popular due to inflation. Think of the many items that could be purchased with a single bill: convenience store coffee, sodas, candy bars, etc. Hardly anything is less than $1, but many things are between $1 and $2. True. I am sure that ending the printing of $1 paper would lead to more use of the $2, as well as the dollar coin. > [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > It doesn’t really matter what would be convenient to _consumers_. What incentive do retailers have to find a slot for $2 bills in their registers? They decide pretty much everything about what circulates under $20. Yes, within the terms of what the government makes available. If we were to end production of both $1 notes, and pennies, the remaining denominations for change would fit perfectly into the most-common five-and-five cash-drawer trays. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/89 "2016-10-06T16:14:12Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > The US Mints/Bureau of Engraving would be glad to take over decisions on this. But Congress won’t allow that. After all, control of the coinage has a major effect on the taxpayers – it was a major issue in several Presidential elections (see W J Bryant and the “Cross of Gold” speech). That’s precisely the reason to pass responsibility over to an anonymous bureau. Then the voters won’t blame any elected official for decisions that they don’t like. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/90 "2016-10-06T16:25:00Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > True. I am sure that ending the printing of $1 paper would lead to more use of the $2, as well as the dollar coin. > > Yes, within the terms of what the government makes available. If we were to end production of both $1 notes, and pennies, the remaining denominations for change would fit perfectly into the most-common five-and-five cash-drawer trays. Even before Canada dropped the use of pennies, the merchants simply used the $1 bill slot for dollar coins. Then the $2 slot also. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/91 "2016-10-06T17:01:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Which is the point at which those should be replaced with coins, too. > > But vending-machine bill readers are far better than they were when they first came out. It used to be that you pretty much did need one fresh from the bank… but nowadays, I can’t remember when the last time was that a vending machine rejected a bill from me. I think the $5 coin sb about the size of a 50 cent piece, and discontinue that. I have. For some odd reason, a tiny fold or tear in a corner will render it unusable. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/92 "2016-10-06T18:15:20Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > **md2000** makes a good point. For all the talk about the vending machine lobby in the US, the bill reader devices are wonky. If the bill is worn, there’s a good chance the machine won’t accept it (heck, that was one arc of an entire Seinfeld episode!). Which is real bullshit (the device, not Northern Piper’s comment!) because Las Vegas has thousands and thousands of bill readers that get used a lot harder than any vending machine’s and they work just fine, with just about any condition bill. I guess what that means is Steve Wynn wants your money more than PepsiCo does. Coins are evil and should all be abolished. Dollar coins need to be thrown at people who lobby for them with great force. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/93 "2016-10-06T18:46:15Z")
**Chronos** and **silenus** obviously hang out with a better class of vending machines than I do. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/94 "2016-10-13T14:33:03Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > It doesn’t really matter what would be convenient to _consumers_. What incentive do retailers have to find a slot for $2 bills in their registers? They decide pretty much everything about what circulates under $20. In what way does a standard, five slot till not have a spot for $2’s? There are exactly five paper bills ranging between $1 and $20, are there not? And most places don’t make change with $50’s and $100’s. Heck, given that ATM’s around here only dispense $20’s, the most commonly used denominations for making change should be $10 and under (even the tellers around here give $20’s unless you specifically ask for larger bills), which means even a four-slot till would have a spot for $2’s. Given that we are used to paper dollars, and they are still available, I’m not so much surprised that dollar coins haven’t caught on; we are creatures of habit, after all. I used to ask for the coins from the bank, until I got gypped on a couple of rolls (about four of the coins were Canadian dollars :mad:) What seems dumb to me is that the highest value coin in wide circulation is the quarter. Cash drawers do still have a slot for half dollars, and there is certainly no reason _not_ to use them when you need to hand back 50¢ or more in coins. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/95 "2016-10-13T16:39:03Z")
> [@CoastalMaineiac](#): > > In what way does a standard, five slot till not have a spot for $2’s? There are exactly five paper bills ranging between $1 and $20, are there not? And most places don’t make change with $50’s and $100’s. Heck, given that ATM’s around here only dispense $20’s, the most commonly used denominations for making change should be $10 and under (even the tellers around here give $20’s unless you specifically ask for larger bills), which means even a four-slot till would have a spot for $2’s… It’s 1, 5, 10, 20, checks and large. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/96 "2016-10-13T16:41:18Z")
When I used to work the till in retail, we always put the large bills and cheques under the coin tray. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/97 "2016-10-13T16:42:59Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s 1, 5, 10, 20, checks and large. Checks? It’s 2016. When’s the last time anybody paid for anything in a store by check? ---
**Author:** ![CoastalMaineiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@CoastalMaineiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoastalMaineiac)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/98 "2016-10-13T16:44:10Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It’s 1, 5, 10, 20, checks and large. Because they’re going to be handing out checks and $100 bills when making change? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/99 "2016-10-13T17:04:17Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Checks? It’s 2016. When’s the last time anybody paid for anything in a store by check? When was the last time you stood in line at the grocery store? Plenty do. > **[Checking - Checking Accounts & Advice | Bankrate.com](https://www.bankrate.com/banking/checking/)** > > Need checking account information? Find and compare bank checking accounts at Bankrate.com. \*There were 18.3 billion paper checks paid in 2012, and checks accounted for 15 percent of noncash payments that year, according to the Federal Reserve. Plenty of consumers still rely on checks for day-to-day transactions, and many businesses accept cash or check only. \* > **[71 Stores That Accept Personal Checks](https://firstquarterfinance.com/what-stores-accept-personal-checks/)** > > See the stores that take checks as a form of payment, including grocery stores, department stores, and more -- plus where not to go. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093/100 "2016-10-13T17:05:47Z")
> [@CoastalMaineiac](#): > > Because they’re going to be handing out checks and $100 bills when making change? I recently helped out at a friends bookstore, and that’s the way they did it. Do you work retail? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-washington-dollar-coin/767093.md?page=6)