# When Are U.S. Pennies Withdrawn from Circulation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 16, 2006, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624 "2006-10-16T14:03:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/21 "2006-10-17T14:23:29Z")
[QUOTE=asterion] I’ve mostly seen them used at table games like blackjack and Pai-Gow. With the 3:2 payoff on blackjack, a lot of bets wind up paying something in change. A $5 bet pays $7.50, a $25 bet pays $37.50, and so on. Some casinos have $2.50 chips made and others just use half-dollars. Similarly, there’s a 5% commission on wins in Pai-Gow. A $5 bet wins $4.75, a $10 bet wins $9.50, and so on. So the dealer has a tray with quarters and half-dollars. [/QUOTE] Back when I was in LV, they used halves for insurance in blackjack. When the dealer has an ace up, s/he’ll as if anyone wants insurance (against the chance that the dealer has a face or 10 card hidden for an auto 21), which costs half the bet. I used to make money at blackjack, but it wasn’t worth it to me. The casinos were very smoky then (don’t know if they are now) and I just never really got into gambling that much. I went because my husband DID like to gamble, and I was luckier (or more cautious, or better at math, take your pick) than he was. There were also slots that took half dollars, but the quarter machines were by far the most prevalent. There were some nickel machines, and some dollar machines (mostly those took casino chips), and I’ve even seen a couple of penny machines, but the most common were quarter slots. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/22 "2006-10-17T16:21:01Z")
As I understand it you’ll occasionally find old coins that have re-entered circulation due after being stolen. I once came across 3 or 4 peace dollars in a bank tellers drawers (grrrowow!) about 10 years ago. I was shocked she gave them to me. She said “Are you sure you want them? They’re silver you know?” “Yes please.” ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/23 "2006-10-17T16:26:55Z")
Also I do the pulling old style coins out of circulation for no other reason then I can. About the only silver I see now adays are the occasional nickle with silver content made during the war. Only the mint mark differs so most people don’t know about them. I find one every few months or so. ---
**Author:** ![DJ\_Motorbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@DJ\_Motorbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DJ_Motorbike)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/24 "2006-10-17T22:18:39Z")
[QUOTE=Tikki] Are you sure they were actually steel? They were only made one single year–1943. Personally, I’ve never seen one in its natural habitat. I do have one that I bought at a flea market though. [/QUOTE] I have a steel penny that I found in circulation. I would have never known if not for the fact that I happend to have a magnet in my pocket at the time. It was a nifty surprise. I still have it around here somewhere. I don’t think I’ve seen a single two dollar bill in the last ten years. Are they still in circulation at all? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Blue-Sighted_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/25 "2006-10-17T23:04:19Z")
[QUOTE=DJ Motorbike] I have a steel penny that I found in circulation. I would have never known if not for the fact that I happend to have a magnet in my pocket at the time. It was a nifty surprise. I still have it around here somewhere. I don’t think I’ve seen a single two dollar bill in the last ten years. Are they still in circulation at all? [/QUOTE] I had $2 bill a couple of years ago. I got it as change from the post office. If you want oddball money, go to the post office and pay cash for an odd amount. You name it, they’ve probably got it in the change drawer. At least at my post office, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/26 "2006-10-18T03:05:09Z")
[QUOTE=Jahdra] I had $2 bill a couple of years ago. I got it as change from the post office. If you want oddball money, go to the post office and pay cash for an odd amount. You name it, they’ve probably got it in the change drawer. At least at my post office, anyway. [/QUOTE] Or just go to a bank. They’ll have 50 cent, dollar coins, and $2 bills galore. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/27 "2006-10-18T04:11:07Z")
[QUOTE=Telemark] Or just go to a bank. They’ll have 50 cent, dollar coins, and $2 bills galore. [/QUOTE] Not necessarily. Sometimes they have to order those particular pieces. Which reminds me, I need to get to the credit union and order a couple of rolls of dollar coins, for Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624/28 "2006-10-18T05:08:05Z")
Here’s a [good idea](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pydv5VHQyPI) for what to do with those stray pennies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-are-u-s-pennies-withdrawn-from-circulation/376624.md?page=1)