# Resolved: American Coins are Pig-Ugly **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 21, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873 "2008-10-21T11:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/41 "2008-10-22T05:02:09Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I thought the florin with the concentric design on it was pretty nice. I was sorry to see that one go > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:76-906\_11.jpg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:76-906_11.jpg) > > They persisted way beyond decimal day, as they were equivalent to 10p pieces - only being replaced when the 10p coin was resized in the 90s Oh, yeah! I’d forgotten those. Those were still kicking around quite a bit when I was in London in the fall of 1985. ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/42 "2008-10-23T04:10:14Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > This is why I say we ought to get rid of the nickle and penny. They are pretty worthless nowadays too. Also get rid of all bills below five dollars. We’d then add a two dollar coin along with a better one-dollar coin. Then we’d have a logcial progression of coins like most countries. A lot of places have a system where it goes up in size by “value” of the metal. Denmark, for example starts with copper then silver, then gold. Obviously these aren’t real metals, but they are what they are meant to be. > > And no bitching from people that haven’t actually lived in a country where you can actually buy stuff with change, either. You guys simply have to experience it before you complain about how much you hate change. It sounds counter-intuitive, but it works. No No and No. I live in Japan where we have the equivalent of up to $5 in coins (1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 20 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen being about $5) and it’s FREAKING AWFUL! You absolutely have to own a coin purse because you will be friggin inundated with coins within 2 weeks of living here. Sure, you actually use them for things, but it’s just that much more you’re actually required to carry around with you every day. I MUCH prefer having a bill for my $1 and $5 increments, thank you very much ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/43 "2008-10-23T05:11:57Z")
Check out the friggin’ FLAG!! Damn! that is one cluttered up mess! ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/44 "2008-10-23T05:44:46Z")
> [@PopeJewish](#): > > No No and No. I live in Japan where we have the equivalent of up to $5 in coins (1 yen, 5 yen, 10 yen, 20 yen, 50 yen, 100 yen, and 500 yen being about $5) and it’s FREAKING AWFUL! You absolutely have to own a coin purse because you will be friggin inundated with coins within 2 weeks of living here. Sure, you actually use them for things, but it’s just that much more you’re actually required to carry around with you every day. I MUCH prefer having a bill for my $1 and $5 increments, thank you very much You just need to adjust and remember to use your coins. Up in Canada, it isn’t really a problem – since you couldn’t conceivably need more than, say, three toonies at a time, you more or less spend coins whenever you have them and don’t accumulate too many. I like the coin system, simply because it gives me a (small) supply of guilt-free spending money. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PopeJewish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@PopeJewish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PopeJewish)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/45 "2008-10-23T06:00:53Z")
> [@straight\_man](#): > > You just need to adjust and remember to use your coins. Up in Canada, it isn’t really a problem – since you couldn’t conceivably need more than, say, three toonies at a time, you more or less spend coins whenever you have them and don’t accumulate too many. I like the coin system, simply because it gives me a (small) supply of guilt-free spending money. 🙂 nah man, I still disagree. I hate coins. I currently have about 586 yen in my pocket (420 is for my bus fair home) so I don’t accumalate that much, and I do remember to spend it, I just don’t like them at all. You always end up having no coins than being forced to break a sen bill (1000 yen) on a soda or something, leaving you with like 880 in coins. It just gets real annoying. I much prefer bills for things ---
**Author:** ![KarmaComa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e36b37/32.png) [@KarmaComa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarmaComa)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/46 "2008-10-23T09:23:04Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > And killed the penny. You’re telling me! I just got to Czech and found out that they’ve recently killed the.. let’s call it the three cent coin. And this is in a relatively cheap country! Can’t Canada and the US finally get rid of the damn penny? ---
**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:** [October 23, 2008, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873/47 "2008-10-23T11:27:43Z")
You know, it is just about time to introduce a $5 coin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-american-coins-are-pig-ugly/468873.md?page=2)