Sackies and Suzies

Factual Questions
1

I bought some stamps from a machine yesterday and received 15 suzies as change for my $20 note.

Circulation of suzies took years to reach the level that sackies have in just a few weeks.

Question: Will suzies be withdrawn now that sackies have been introduced; or will the government allow them to circulate along with the sackie and paper dollars?

Also, when will we start seeing vending machines that accept sackies? The postal machines won’t even accept the new $20.

2

Suzies will remain in circulation as long as they are usable; coins are only withdrawn when they become damaged. That could take years.

As far as sackies in vending machines, that all depends upon the vending machine manufacturers. It will cost money to refit all the machines with new coin sorters, so I doubt any of them will be in a big rush.

3

I haven’t seen a Sackie, but I thought they were the same size and thickness as a Suzie. The coloring is different and the edges have a different feel. I simply assumed that machines couldn’t tell the difference.

4

The Sackie is bigger than the Suzie. The two coins are different in every way.

5

The Sackie is not bigger than the Suzie. It is exactly the same size.
http://www.usmint.gov/GoldenDollar/winner.cfm

6

Oops. I think I’ll let the pros handle stuff in GQ.

7

Any vending machine with an electromagnetic analyzer that recognizes a Suzie as $1 will also recognize a Sackie as $1. No modifications are necessary.

8

I stand totally corrected. Thanks Papa, er, I mean, Ursa.

So I guess the answer to the earlier post is, Sackies will appear in vending machines as soon as the vending route men put them in the hopper. That in turn will depend on when they get sackies, which in turn depends on when the banks get them. Too many variables.

9

From the perspective of Canada, where $1 and now $2 coins are in wide circulation:

Vending machines will convert as fast as they can; they’re looking for an easier, faster way to take in more and more of your money, so they’ll go like the wind! It was about 2 months after the introduction of the Loony (our $1) that I saw the first loony-equipped vending machines. Now even the parking meters take them.

BTW, we converted from the paper dollar to the coin because of coin longevity versus paper evanescence. I will be surprised if the US mint doesn’t decide to phase out the paper dollar real soon. The British also phased out their 1-pound note when they introduced a coinage equivalent. It just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to produce the same denomination in two (or three, counting the Suzy) forms.

Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity!

10

When the Suzie B’s first came out, I took two rolls on a trip to New Orleans to use as tips. Some waiters were steamed, because they thought they were quarters, which would have meant I was a cheap tipper. One bartender, though, was delighted. His favorite pinball machine gave two extra plays for a Suzie B. He bought a dozen from me.

AskNott

"Measure twice, cut once. Dang! Measure again, cut again.