# 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:** 2
**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, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/21 "2010-03-09T16:57:20Z")
With that nose, he looks more like John to me. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/22 "2010-03-09T17:08:49Z")
Use them in vending machines. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/23 "2010-03-09T17:14:50Z")
He gave you $50 in collector coins? At least phone a coin shop and see if they have any collector’s value. If not, take them to a bank or post office. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/24 "2010-03-09T17:15:53Z")
I don’t get it. Why would using dollar coins be different that using dollar bills? I use them for whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/25 "2010-03-09T17:39:17Z")
If there’s no branch of the [First CityWide Change Bank](http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/first-citywide-change-bank/229045/) near you, you could try another bank branch. ---
**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, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/26 "2010-03-09T17:41:18Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > I don’t get it. Why would using dollar coins be different that using dollar bills? As with any new\* concept, it’s because of wah wah wah that’s not how I’ve always done it. \*Yes, I know modern dollar coins are about as “new” as…err…damn, what’s something that’s been around since 1971? Well…about as new as that. Point is, they’re here, they’re legal tender, and there’s a hell of a lot more practical than bills. Deal. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/27 "2010-03-09T17:44:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > 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?.. Agreed. He clearly went out of his way to pay you back in a very inconvenient way (yet one you couldn’t decline without fortiting the $50). Unless somebody just payed _him_ in 50 dollar coins he would’ve needed to go the bank and specifically ask the teller for them. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/28 "2010-03-09T17:48:47Z")
Pay servers, trust me, to them, it’s all money. They will just cash it through the house, and it will end up in the till and save someone a trip to the bank for more change. When we first got $1 And $2 coins in Canada there was the same sort of reaction. Now, everybody’s over it, and it’s just money. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/29 "2010-03-09T17:49:20Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Nope, i got fifty of the coins with [Paul McCartney’s (Sir?) mug](http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/$1coin/index.cfm?action=Jefferson) LOL! The new presidential portraits leave something to be desired, don’t they? I hate the dollar coins. If I get one, I spend it on a soft drink or candy bar or something at the earliest opportunity. I hate coins in general, actually. I’m a man; I don’t have a purse, nor do I habitually wear a fanny-pack, nor do I use one of those bags that are basically just purses for men. A pocket full of coins is a major inconvenience for me. I’ve heard that Australia uses plastic notes for their $1 bill, and Canada is going to start experimenting with them as well. Why doesn’t the US Treasury give those a try, and stop foisting dollar coins on a public that mostly doesn’t want them? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/30 "2010-03-09T17:58:15Z")
\*“It’s a Sacagawea dollar! You can take it to the bank, and trade it in for a \*\*real dollar!” \* – Marge Simpson ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/31 "2010-03-09T18:03:58Z")
Take them all to Walmart as they were foisting them on the customers for a period. They did it on purpose, so don’t feel bad that they don’t have a spot in the till. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/32 "2010-03-09T18:06:44Z")
Use them for tips for the waitress at your favorite casino. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/33 "2010-03-09T18:09:38Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Why doesn’t the US Treasury give those a try, and stop foisting dollar coins on a public that mostly doesn’t want them? I’m with you, but there is a vocal contingent that feels dollar coins are the future, because they would save $$ for the U.S. government. There’s usually a debate over in GD about every 6 - 8 months on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/34 "2010-03-09T18:10:46Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > 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. The real way to get people to change to dollar coins is to simply stop printing bills and start making coins, not wait for them to come round on their own. It’ll never happen otherwise - habits have a lot of momentum. ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/35 "2010-03-09T18:19:56Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > 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. Dollar coins _are_ real money. As to your second sentence, I don’t understand what point you’re trying to make. ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/36 "2010-03-09T18:22:01Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I’ve heard that Australia uses plastic notes for their $1 bill, and Canada is going to start experimenting with them as well. Why doesn’t the US Treasury give those a try, and stop foisting dollar coins on a public that mostly doesn’t want them? I don’t know about the plastic money, but Australia has $1 and $2 coins (amusingly the $1 is larger than the $2). NZ has plastic money for notes over $5, and $1 and $2 coins. A few years ago they made the coins lighter, smaller and made the smallest denomination 10c. ---
**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, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/37 "2010-03-09T18:26:50Z")
> [@atomicbadgerrace](#): > > Dollar coins _are_ real money. As to your second sentence, I don’t understand what point you’re trying to make. My son is flying to Florida. He was worried about the metal detector, and I had shared TSA horror stories with him. And I mean real money, like bills. ---
**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, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/38 "2010-03-09T18:30:47Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > In my son’s defense, he is very worried about the TSA agents and the rectal probe I described. So your son is a retard? Can you imagine the settlement money you’d get if he got hassled for having the audacity to carry legal U.S. tender? ---
**Author:** ![atomicbadgerrace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@atomicbadgerrace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atomicbadgerrace)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/39 "2010-03-09T18:31:27Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My son is flying to Florida. He was worried about the metal detector, and I had shared TSA horror stories with him. I have no idea if dollar coins will even set off the metal detectors, but he’ll need to empty his pockets before going through them anyway – of dollar coins or of dollar bills. I still don’t get the point you’re trying to make. > [@](#): > > And I mean real money, like bills. My mistake, I thought you meant real money, like real money. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852/40 "2010-03-09T18:42:49Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > My son is flying to Florida. He was worried about the metal detector, and I had shared TSA horror stories with him. And I mean real money, like bills. > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > So your son is a retard? Can you imagine the settlement money you’d get if he got hassled for having the audacity to carry legal U.S. tender? And you trust them to not think it’s counterfeit? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-dollar-coins/531852.md?page=3)