# Why is there a coin shortage? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 15, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626 "2020-09-15T00:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 7
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626/7 "2020-09-15T13:07:26Z")
Lots more discussion on almost the same topic here: > [@Is the coin shortage happening everywhere, or just in the United States?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-coin-shortage-happening-everywhere-or-just-in-the-united-states/916762): > > (Inspired by @kayaker’s recent [related thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-shortage-of-coins/913982)) So, it now appears to be an [established fact](https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/us/us-coin-shortage-coronavirus-trnd/index.html) that there is a [nationwide](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiPru3CvvPqAhVBHzQIHeLPBIk4ChAWMAJ6BAgDEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mprnews.org%2Fstory%2F2020%2F06%2F21%2Fnpr-latest-pandemic-shortage-banks-running-low-on-coins&usg=AOvVaw107bf23hKDRSMVHhr8HWIW) [coin](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiPru3CvvPqAhVBHzQIHeLPBIk4ChAWMAR6BAgCEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marketplace.org%2F2020%2F07%2F22%2Fwhere-did-all-the-coins-go%2F&usg=AOvVaw25scJhm55TJGFTiC99GttJ) [shortage](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiPru3CvvPqAhVBHzQIHeLPBIk4ChAWMBJ6BAgKEAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fsaratogatodaynewspaper.com%2Fhome%2Fitem%2F12010-got-change-coin-shortage-hits-home&usg=AOvVaw2lY4qj-tenLXyf9hIJvgz_). I’d been wondering why all of the self-serve checkout terminals, in all of the local markets that I frequent, have switched to card-only transactions–now I know.) It’s long been my assertion that of the four coins in common circulation – penny, nickel, dime, and quarter), not one has a sufficiently high denomination to be conveniently spendable. If you use … Notice that this conversation started in late July and is still going on today. And references an earlier conversation from early July. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-a-coin-shortage/920626)._