# What to do with dollar coins **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852 "2010-03-09T14:49:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/1 "2010-03-09T14:49:39Z")
A guy who owed me $50 paid me yesterday, with dollar coins. Dick move, IMHO. Anyway, what would you do with fifty dollar coins? It seems rude to pay a restaurant check with a pile of coins, doesn’t it? A friend in retail tells me that cash registers do not have a place for dollar coins, so they are a pia. Maybe I’ll take them by the bank and get real paper money. I haven’t had any of these coins before. The have the Statue of Liberty on one side, and Paul McCartney (when did he die?) on the other.:dubious: ---
**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:** [March 9, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/2 "2010-03-09T14:51:59Z")
Dollar coins are a joke. Take them to the bank and get real money. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/3 "2010-03-09T14:57:49Z")
^That’s what I’ll end up doing. I’ll just have to watch what I say. I’m worried TSA agents might take offense. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/4 "2010-03-09T15:36:04Z")
Send them to me. I love dollar coins. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/5 "2010-03-09T15:38:13Z")
I usually leave them as a tip. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/6 "2010-03-09T15:39:38Z")
Coin counters take them, but they charge a fee. Fortunately my bank’s coin counter is free to those having an account. So I just take them there. It’s not big deal for cashier’s they just throw them in the slot next to the quarters. I would feel a bit odd paying with $50.00, because when I use dollar coins I always say, “These are dollar coins,” 'cause a cashier more often than not, think they’re quarters then have to dig them out of the quarter slot to see I was correct. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/7 "2010-03-09T15:40:10Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Send them to me. I love dollar coins. What do you do with them? ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/8 "2010-03-09T15:41:01Z")
Our tooth fairy only pays out in dollar coins. Or two dollar bills. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/9 "2010-03-09T15:44:02Z")
Now, $2 bills are _useful_. Unlike coins. They make perfect tips to get you remembered. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/10 "2010-03-09T16:04:20Z")
I like to take dollar coins when I go to RennFaires. 50 coins in a leather drawstring purse makes a nice jingling sound, can be used as a weapon, and is a good amount for the entrance fee, food, and adult beverages. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/11 "2010-03-09T16:05:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > A guy who owed me $50 paid me yesterday, with dollar coins. Dick move, IMHO. > > …snip… I’m confused. How is it a dick move? He owed you money, and he paid in full using legal tender, is that right? I mean, as long as it’s gov’t backed and not funny money, what’s your problem? Jeez, at the very least, you can use them as stocking stuffers. Got any kids in your life? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/12 "2010-03-09T16:15:31Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I’m confused. How is it a dick move? He owed you money, and he paid in full using legal tender, is that right? I mean, as long as it’s gov’t backed and not funny money, what’s your problem? > > Jeez, at the very least, you can use them as stocking stuffers. Got any kids in your life? It’s a dick move because when he really needed cash, I gave him two twenties and two fives. He pays me back with a pile of poker chips. If he paid me in pennies, that would be idiotic, right? My daughter (19) and son (15) are flying from Pennsylvania to Florida today. I offered the coins to them. Maybe they are spoiled, but in return for my offer I got rollseyes. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/13 "2010-03-09T16:20:12Z")
Just go to the gas station and buy gas. I receive them as a cashier all the time - usually one or two at once, but I’ve received 30+ at once. The problem for me is that customers don’t like getting them as change. If I have a bunch, I try to give one to every customer that gets at least 2 bucks change, but they often refuse. Then again, there’s always that one customer who thinks they’re “rare,” so they ask me if I have more that they can have. Also, I get some older people who find dollar coins an easy way to save for their grandkids - they’ll take a few, and dump 'em in the change jar at home, then give 'em to the grandkids. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/14 "2010-03-09T16:21:56Z")
I use them all the time. For what? Generally for paying for anything that costs between one and five dollars. I figure the more I use them, the more they get circulated, the more people stop whining about the existence of _coins_. If enough people do that, then maybe – just maybe – we’ll eventually reach the point where they’ll stop pissing away money minting dollar bills. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/15 "2010-03-09T16:23:48Z")
Gas station. It’s easy to spend 50 bucks there, and if you fill your tank first, they have no choice but to accept them. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/16 "2010-03-09T16:27:20Z")
^I haven’t seen a gas station that allows you to fill before you pay in a looong time! ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/17 "2010-03-09T16:27:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My daughter (19) and son (15) are flying from Pennsylvania to Florida today. I offered the coins to them. Maybe they are spoiled, but in return for my offer I got rollseyes. This is a joke right? You’re teenage children turned down $25 in free money because they were dollar coins? Christ man, mail them to me. I would have taken $25 in pennies if someone had offered to me in college. Hell, I’d take it now. ---
**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:** [March 9, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/18 "2010-03-09T16:28:56Z")
Just use them, one or two at a time. They’re money, right? ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/19 "2010-03-09T16:40:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I haven’t had any of these coins before. The have the Statue of Liberty on one side, and Paul McCartney (when did he die?) on the other.:dubious: Paul McCartney? Is this the coin you got? [http://www.usmint.gov/mint\_programs/$1coin/?action=MFillmore](http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/$1coin/?action=MFillmore) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/20 "2010-03-09T16:55:25Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Paul McCartney? > > Is this the coin you got? > [http://www.usmint.gov/mint\_programs/$1coin/?action=MFillmore](http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/$1coin/?action=MFillmore) Nope, i got fifty of the coins with [Paul McCartney’s (Sir?) mug](http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/$1coin/index.cfm?action=Jefferson) And my kids got real money. In my son’s defense, he is very worried about the TSA agents and the rectal probe I described. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852.md?page=2)