# Ottawa plans to kill the penny **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 29, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212 "2012-03-29T22:58:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/61 "2013-01-03T17:45:32Z")
But she promises to change! ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/62 "2013-01-03T17:49:03Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > The UK demonetised the old 5p coins (and the shillings that were still in use as 5p’s) in I think '91, while I was stationed in Scotland. I believe they’ve since done the same with the old 10p coins (and florins). The US, however, has never demonitized anything. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Doom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Dr\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Doom)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/63 "2013-01-03T18:14:01Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > But she promises to change! Stupid **Ottawa** , take away her ability to suffer recession, give her a man-made river and a French twin, and she thinks she’s above the law. ---
**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:** [January 3, 2013, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/64 "2013-01-03T19:13:20Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > When we ditched the 1c and 2c coins, in 1992, **20 years ago** , the gov’t supplied a simple formula: > > Prices ending in 1 or 2 are rounded down, 3 or 4, up. 6 or 7, down. 8 or 9, up. Somehow I doubt this means I’ll be able to get all the 1 cent stamps I want for free. ---
**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:** [January 4, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/65 "2013-01-04T20:34:28Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Somehow I doubt this means I’ll be able to get all the 1 cent stamps I want for free. You can, if you get them one at a time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/66 "2013-01-05T00:53:50Z")
There’s a subtext here for me, something I’ve been fretting a lot about lately. It’s this: every rational analysis says ditching the penny is the right thing to do – and every other country that’s gone through the exercise has had good results from it – and yet we in the States don’t do it, and won’t do it. I’m beginning to see a pattern in this country where we refuse to take even the most simple steps that rationality demands. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/67 "2013-01-05T01:04:30Z")
> [@Sal\_Ammoniac](#): > > There’s a subtext here for me, something I’ve been fretting a lot about lately. It’s this: every rational analysis says ditching the penny is the right thing to do – and every other country that’s gone through the exercise has had good results from it – and yet we in the States don’t do it, and won’t do it. I’m beginning to see a pattern in this country where we refuse to take even the most simple steps that rationality demands. I’m pretty sure it’s because it’s against the constitution. Or maybe because that’s not what the founding fathers would have wanted. Or maybe because the bible told you so. It’s usually one or the other, or a combination of all three. ---
**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 2, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/68 "2013-02-02T04:54:12Z")
I went into Shoppers Drug Mart today, and at the till saw [these signs](http://www.flickr.com/photos/komiksulo/8436367509/in/set-72157632665588229/). The cashier said that, after Monday, Shoppers would not be handing out pennies. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/69 "2013-02-02T05:10:06Z")
Love it! ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/70 "2013-02-02T05:26:50Z")
Not only will we never get rid of the penny, I wouldn’t even be surprised if congress decided to bring back the halfpenny. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/71 "2013-02-02T15:43:21Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > I went into Shoppers Drug Mart today, and at the till saw [these signs](http://www.flickr.com/photos/komiksulo/8436367509/in/set-72157632665588229/). The cashier said that, after Monday, Shoppers would not be handing out pennies. There was something similar in BC Liquor, but isn’t Monday the official day everywhere? ---
**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 2, 2013, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/72 "2013-02-02T23:24:17Z")
This morning’s new included an announcement that the treasury would no longer distribute pennies. They stopped minting them almost a year ago and, I guess, they have finally run out. If a merchant wants to incur my ire by making an extra 3 or 4 cent profit, go ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2013, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/73 "2013-02-02T23:32:07Z")
As noted above, at most it would be two cents. But then half the time, you’ll be getting an extra two cents. Or if you care that damn much, pay with a card. ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/74 "2013-02-03T03:09:37Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > Or if you care that damn much, pay with a card. Personally, I plan to do just that – but only in the round-up cases. In the round-down cases, I’ll pay cash, and save myself a cent or two. You’ve got to be frugal on a student budget! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/75 "2013-02-03T04:58:32Z")
Well, it’s good to know that on Monday, when I hand over $5 for my afternoon large coffee at the local coffee shop (cost with tax: $2.36), I won’t get four pennies back with my other change. I’ll get a nickel. Now, what to do with all these pennies…? 🙂 ---
**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 3, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/76 "2013-02-03T06:09:09Z")
Coinstar! Er, I mean, take them to the bank? My impression is that there is nothing preventing anyone from continuing to accept pennies from customers, and continuing to give them out; just that there will be no more fresh supplies of pennies from banks. If a business wants to rely on what pennies it has on and and can get from customers, fine. But how many people were actually paying with pennies? What was the rate of penny input versus output at a typical business? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/77 "2013-02-03T06:31:12Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Coinstar! > > Er, I mean, take them to the bank? My impression is that there is nothing preventing anyone from continuing to accept pennies from customers, and continuing to give them out; just that there will be no more fresh supplies of pennies from banks. If a business wants to rely on what pennies it has on and and can get from customers, fine. But how many people were actually paying with pennies? What was the rate of penny input versus output at a typical business? I don’t know. And I know the penny will never be demonitized. They will always be worth something. But it will be nice when I do not have to take four pennies among my change for my coffee. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/78 "2013-02-03T07:11:26Z")
I’m glad our Canadian cousins are seeing sense and getting rid of 1c pieces - I’m still astounded the US has them, since you can’t buy anything with them. Australia & NZ got rid of theirs years ago and, as several of my fellow countrymen have observed, the sky did not fall and its worked out extremely well generally, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/79 "2013-02-03T07:22:03Z")
This evening I experienced my first rounding. Instead of receiving four cents in change, I received a nickel. I felt guilty about this. I guess that makes me Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2013, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212/80 "2013-02-03T07:24:11Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > But how many people were actually paying with pennies? Just the blue haired change purse set in the grocery express line. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ottawa-plans-to-kill-the-penny/617212.md?page=5)