The Poor 5 Cent Piece (Australia)

For those who collect Australian coins, an interesting article on the
Australian Broadcasting Company (www.abc.net.au)

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2247435.htm

"dorancoins" wrote in message
...
For those who collect Australian coins, an interesting article on the
Australian Broadcasting Company (www.abc.net.au)

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2247435.htm

Interesting points made in the comments - on both sides.

Unquestionably rendered almost useless by inflation, their only value
appears to be when tendering correct change in transactions like $5.05.
Well, *that* sure covers a lot of bases.
Charity collectors like them, because people are happy to give them up, and
they do add up (eventually).

The 5¢ coin's days are numbered. That's a given.

Just remember, we Aussies did away with our 1¢ and 2¢ coins (and $1 and $2
notes) without so much as a by-your-leave. We just woke up one day and
discovered that they were gone.

Hmmm.
No hyper-inflation so far.
No increase in homelessness directly attributable to the demise of the coins
(or notes).

Based on past discussions in this NG, such an action by the government in
the USA would result in public bloodbath, collapse of the economy, and
(insert favourite disaster scenario here).

I like tradition. I am actually quite conservative.

But there comes a point...

--
Jeff R.

"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"dorancoins" wrote in message
...
For those who collect Australian coins, an interesting article on the
Australian Broadcasting Company (www.abc.net.au)

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2247435.htm

Interesting points made in the comments - on both sides.

Unquestionably rendered almost useless by inflation, their only value
appears to be when tendering correct change in transactions like $5.05.
Well, *that* sure covers a lot of bases.
Charity collectors like them, because people are happy to give them up,
and they do add up (eventually).

The 5¢ coin's days are numbered. That's a given.

Just remember, we Aussies did away with our 1¢ and 2¢ coins (and $1 and $2
notes) without so much as a by-your-leave. We just woke up one day and
discovered that they were gone.

Hmmm.
No hyper-inflation so far.
No increase in homelessness directly attributable to the demise of the
coins (or notes).

Based on past discussions in this NG, such an action by the government in
the USA would result in public bloodbath, collapse of the economy, and
(insert favourite disaster scenario here).

I like tradition. I am actually quite conservative.

But there comes a point...

--
Agreed Jeff. The sooner the 5c disappears the better. I collect them and
then put them in the charity tins. When I was last in the USA (10 years
ago) they had a great idea of a dish by the cash register. "Leave a penny,
take a penny" Does that still happen in the States? Do you guys still have
the dollar note?

AUS$1 = US$0.96

regards
Doug
Brisbane

PS I went to Vietnam a few years ago (by boat). Before we landed, heavily
armed troops came aboard and we were told the local Vietnamese would not
accept American dollars. We were forced to buy Vietnamese "Dong" at a
ripoff conversion. Once ashore all the locals wanted American dollars! lol
The military was happy. They had milked the tourists of their dollars.

On May 21, 10:46 pm, "The Old Bloke" wrote:
"Jeff R." wrote in message

u...



"dorancoins" wrote in message
...
For those who collect Australian coins, an interesting article on the
Australian Broadcasting Company (www.abc.net.au)

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/stories/s2247435.htm

Interesting points made in the comments - on both sides.

Unquestionably rendered almost useless by inflation, their only value
appears to be when tendering correct change in transactions like $5.05.
Well, *that* sure covers a lot of bases.
Charity collectors like them, because people are happy to give them up,
and they do add up (eventually).

The 5¢ coin's days are numbered. That's a given.

Just remember, we Aussies did away with our 1¢ and 2¢ coins (and $1 and $2
notes) without so much as a by-your-leave. We just woke up one day and
discovered that they were gone.

Hmmm.
No hyper-inflation so far.
No increase in homelessness directly attributable to the demise of the
coins (or notes).

Based on past discussions in this NG, such an action by the government in
the USA would result in public bloodbath, collapse of the economy, and
(insert favourite disaster scenario here).

I like tradition. I am actually quite conservative.

But there comes a point...

--

Agreed Jeff. The sooner the 5c disappears the better. I collect them and
then put them in the charity tins. When I was last in the USA (10 years
ago) they had a great idea of a dish by the cash register. "Leave a penny,
take a penny" Does that still happen in the States? Do you guys still have
the dollar note?

AUS$1 = US$0.96

regards
Doug
Brisbane

PS I went to Vietnam a few years ago (by boat). Before we landed, heavily
armed troops came aboard and we were told the local Vietnamese would not
accept American dollars. We were forced to buy Vietnamese "Dong" at a
ripoff conversion. Once ashore all the locals wanted American dollars! lol
The military was happy. They had milked the tourists of their dollars.

Here in the "States", we still have the "leave a penny, take a penny"
dishes (usually at petrol stations) and we still have the lowly $1
banknote.

"dorancoins" wrote in message
...
Here in the "States", we still have the "leave a penny, take a penny"
dishes (usually at petrol stations) and we still have the lowly $1
banknote.

Matter of interest...
Are those dishes treated literally; i.e. only pennies, or are they used to
leave (or take) any coins?

Just wondering. (No point to make)

--
Jeff R.

"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"dorancoins" wrote in message
...
Here in the "States", we still have the "leave a penny, take a penny"
dishes (usually at petrol stations) and we still have the lowly $1
banknote.

Matter of interest...
Are those dishes treated literally; i.e. only pennies, or are they used to
leave (or take) any coins?

Just wondering. (No point to make)


Usually just pennies. If your total comes to say $5.03 and all you have is
a $10 bill, the clerk will usually take three cents out of the dish (if
there's one there, of course), put it in the till, and give you a $5 bill in
change. Many who receive several pennies in change will leave them in the
dish, especially if they see it almost empty. I haven't seen nickels or
dimes in any dish yet. Things aren't THAT good here. In
fact..................

"Bruce Remick" wrote in message
...

I haven't seen nickels or dimes in any dish yet. Things aren't THAT
good here. In fact..................


Thanks Bruce.
How about charity tins? Collection boxes for charities. Ones you put coins
in, but can't take them out of. Do you have them next to the tills?
We do - they're usually transparent and usually have an assortment of
denominations.

--
Jeff R.
(Aussie dollar fast approaching parity with US$!)

"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"Bruce Remick" wrote in message
...

I haven't seen nickels or dimes in any dish yet. Things aren't THAT
good here. In fact..................


Thanks Bruce.
How about charity tins? Collection boxes for charities. Ones you put
coins in, but can't take them out of. Do you have them next to the tills?
We do - they're usually transparent and usually have an assortment of
denominations.

Don't see as many of those as I used to many years ago. The classic one
here was the March of Dimes charity where customers could place a dime in an
opening on a cardboard album-type standup card on the counter. There often
were bank cans on the counter for this and other charities. In rural areas,
one often finds collection boxes on store counters to help specific local
people who are going through hard times. And many fast food places usually
have plastic boxes on the counter for employee tips.

Whew! I'm out of change already.

On May 22, 8:08�am, "Jeff R." wrote:
"Bruce Remick" wrote in message

...

� I haven't seen nickels or dimes in any dish yet. �Things aren't THAT
good here. �In fact..................

Thanks Bruce.
How about charity tins? �Collection boxes for charities. �Ones you put coins
in, but can't take them out of. �Do you have them next to the tills?
We do - they're usually transparent and usually have an assortment of
denominations.

--
Jeff R.
(Aussie dollar fast approaching parity with US$!)

Unlike Bruce, I see nickels and dimes in the "take / leave" trays more
often than you might think here in Connecticut.

And yes....we see the transparent charity boxes at all manner of
establishments....on the counter, near the cash register. They often
contain paper money as well as coins.

"Bruce Remick" wrote in message
...

"Jeff R." wrote in message
u...

"Bruce Remick" wrote in message
...

I haven't seen nickels or dimes in any dish yet. Things aren't THAT
good here. In fact..................


Thanks Bruce.
How about charity tins? Collection boxes for charities. Ones you put
coins in, but can't take them out of. Do you have them next to the
tills?
We do - they're usually transparent and usually have an assortment of
denominations.

Don't see as many of those as I used to many years ago. The classic one
here was the March of Dimes charity where customers could place a dime in
an opening on a cardboard album-type standup card on the counter. There
often were bank cans on the counter for this and other charities. In
rural areas, one often finds collection boxes on store counters to help
specific local people who are going through hard times. And many fast
food places usually have plastic boxes on the counter for employee tips.

Whew! I'm out of change already.


Hmmm.
Probably some sort of smart social comment I could make on all that, but I'm
all out of sociological insight today.
Thanks Bruce.

--
Jeff R.
(whose change jar weighs a ton!)