# Pardon me, but is this Pit material? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 3, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709 "2003-08-03T12:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/1 "2003-08-03T12:37:11Z")
Forgive me, I am new at this. As you may already know, I am an American who owrks in Saudi Arabia and whose wife (and so I) live in Panama. Anyway, on the “How many other countries use the US dollar as their currency?” thread in GQ, a well-established user, Boyo Jim, is insisting that Panama does not use the dollar as its only currency. (The details are played out in the thread, have a look.) Is he being pedantic and offensive, or I am simply too thin-skinned today? ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/2 "2003-08-03T12:43:04Z")
The missing [link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&postid=3791873#post3791873). ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/3 "2003-08-03T12:54:38Z")
Damn! That’s quite a commute! Actually, it seems that it’s yet another case of real life experience contradicting a “Cite?” authority. It happens a lot. Sometimes, one of the sides are wrong. Other times, it’s a slight misinterpretation of the facts by both sides. I’ll have to reserve judgement on this one, but it looks like an “Is! Isn’t!” arguement that won’t be resolved by “Fuck your cite!” Fuck your real life experience!" posts. ("fuck"s are mine, they weren’t in the linked thread 🙂 ) Word to the wise: not everything written online is true. Conversely, sometimes our real life experience is tainted by misleading bias. ymmv :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/4 "2003-08-03T14:38:45Z")
I dunno. I guess I will just stop posting. I try to tell him the simple facts but he seems obtuse. Perhaps it is me. I may not be communicatiing well today. In any case, it is not worth raising my blood pressure over. (sigh) ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/5 "2003-08-03T14:51:03Z")
My case is pretty simple. [The Republic of Panama says it has its own currency.](http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.pa/&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2B%2522government%2Bof%2Bpanama%2522%26start%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN%26as_qdr%3Dall) Note: from this page, select the information link in the left hand column. [The Library of Congress says Panama has its own currency.](http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+pa0007)) [The CIA says Panama has its own currency.](http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/fields/2065.html) In fact, [just about everything I’ve found says Panama has a currency.](http://www.mapzones.com/world/central_america/panama/currencyindex.php) [Here’s another.](http://vivapanama.org/Flag%20&%20Seal.htm) Look at the picture of the coins and text a bit more than half way down. There are some pictures on [this page,](http://www.bruce.ruiz.net/Currency/greater_than_1_balboa.htm) about half way down, showing a coin minted as recently as 1999. It is a "commemorative coin, but I think still legal tender. Just do a Google search for Panama AND currency. I think Paul believes that “currency” must include paper bills. That is incorrect. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/6 "2003-08-03T15:28:47Z")
Panama has it’s own currency. They may not use it often enough to suit you **Paul** , but the fact remains that Panamanian currency exists. You are wrong **Paul**. You are also overreacting to being told you are wrong. Lotso overreacting going on in the Pit today. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/7 "2003-08-03T15:45:48Z")
Definitely not. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/8 "2003-08-03T16:34:40Z")
OK, perhaps I am wrong. (But I think not; “Balboa” the local name for a Dollar.) But perhaps I am wrong. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/9 "2003-08-03T16:37:17Z")
Five cites are rather convincing. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/10 "2003-08-03T16:40:38Z")
Panama has been minting coins on and off since 1904. They even tried paper Balboas in 1940. [Panamanian Currency](http://www.bruce.ruiz.net/Currency/panama_currency_index.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/11 "2003-08-03T16:41:45Z")
Correction: [1941](http://www.bruce.ruiz.net/Currency/one_balboa_note.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/12 "2003-08-03T17:04:47Z")
> [@](#): > > III. Dual Monetary Systems in this Hemisphere > > Although many dual monetary systems exist in the Western Hemisphere, only one formal system operates. It is found in the Republic of Panama. There the U.S. dollar is legal tender. U.S. Federal Reserve notes circulate as the country’s paper currency. The Panamanian balboa is the local currency. It was created in 1904, and is tied to the U.S. dollar, with a fixed exchange rate of one to one. Panamanian coins are issued in the same denominations, weights, and sizes, as U.S. coins. Although technically a formal dual monetary system, the monetary framework in Panama in practice is a dollar-based system with the balboa as an appendage. The low importance of the national currency is signaled by the fact that Panama does not have a central bank. Instead, the limited nonmonetary central bank activities carried out by the government are effected through a state-owned commercial bank. from: [http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/asce/cuba4/perry1.html](http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/cb/cuba/asce/cuba4/perry1.html) > [@](#): > > The official currency of Panama is the Balboa (symbol B/.), equivalent to the U.S. dollar. The Balboa exists only in coin form of the same denomination and size as U.S. coins.; Panamanian coins are used interchangeably with U.S. coins. The official paper currency of Panama is the U.S. dollar bill. from:[http://home3.americanexpress.com/smallbusiness/resources/expanding/global/reports/11152090.shtml](http://home3.americanexpress.com/smallbusiness/resources/expanding/global/reports/11152090.shtml) In short, Panama has its own currency. It is in coin form only, they don’t make much of it, and since US currency and coin is equally useful, there’s not much need for it. However, it seems that when Panama has produced coins in the past, they’ve often been minted for the Panamanian government by mints in the US and Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/13 "2003-08-03T17:27:42Z")
: applause : Well kids, here we see the fallacy of the excluded middle in full operation. Now shake hands and make up. Good show, **Qadgop**. How did you find this? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/14 "2003-08-03T18:13:14Z")
**Tusculan** , I just googled a few terms. I even found a cite that stated the amount of Panamanian coin in circulation was so miniscule that it was rarely seen, even by natives. But then I lost it and couldn’t find it again. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/15 "2003-08-03T18:55:55Z")
So, that explains it. While the cites are obviously technically correct, the real life experience of mostly U.S. Dollar use is what **Paul** sees. Seems to me that both posters were being a little hard headed. But, at least no one punched anyone. All’s well that ends well? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/16 "2003-08-03T20:19:18Z")
Well, hell, if real life experience counted let me point out that I have been to: Mexico Canada Israel Egypt Jordan all without having more local currency than the government _required_ me to exchange upon entrance to the country. I swear, in Egypt I must have heard ‘200 pounds Egyptian…but for you…$2 American’ five thousand times. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/17 "2003-08-04T01:21:30Z")
I concur with Biggirl, Paul. You were wrong and you overreacted. I do applaud that you took it to the pit in order to get beyond the missed communication and ask, “I just don’t see it, can somebody else weigh in and confirm if I’m nuts or not?” And doing it without an all-out flaming. So, know, you are nuts. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/18 "2003-08-04T03:26:32Z")
It seems like a lot of arguments get started this way. Both people are right in their own context. For example: Does the US Government mint a dollar coin? Answer: Yes. Do you see these coins frequently in your everyday life: Answer: No. So, there’s the theoretical world and the practical world, and sometimes never the twain shall meet 🙂 How much you want to bet I get a reply - Well yes I do see dollar coins in my everyday life … LOL … some people are just that way :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/19 "2003-08-04T04:08:48Z")
I apologize if I came across as someone with a pointy stick up his ass. It is a family trait that often causes problems when I am actually wrong and can’t see it. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709/20 "2003-08-04T13:13:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Boyo Jim \* > \*\*I think Paul believes that “currency” must include paper bills. That is incorrect. \*\* From the just-released 11th edition of M-W’s Collegiate Dictionary: > [@](#): > > Main Entry: currency > Pronunciation: _k_r-_n(t)-s_, _k_-r\*n(t)- > Function: noun > Inflected Form: plural -cies > Date: 1624 > > 1 a : circulation as a medium of exchange b : general use, acceptance, or prevalence _a story gaining currency_ c : the quality or state of being current : CURRENTNESS > **2 a : something (as coins, treasury notes, and banknotes) that is in circulation as a medium of exchange b : paper money in circulation** c : a common article for bartering d : a medium of verbal or intellectual expression [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pardon-me-but-is-this-pit-material/192709.md?page=2)