Comments on: Bills Seek to Change Cents and Nickels to Steel

By: Don Yeier

Don Yeier — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:29:43 +0000

First, the penney should be eliminated, period. They buy nothing & no one even stoops to pick them off the floor/ground. Secondly, let’s save a few billion dollars and make either steel nickels or revert back to the 1/2 dime (which worked fine for upwards of a hundred years…).. The composition could be the same as the current dime. Can’t figure why someone in Congress hasn’t introduced a bill to that effect! But regardless, for now, yes, support the pending bill for steel nickels & the heck with any pennies whatsoever. Don

By: RonnieBGood

RonnieBGood — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:09:05 +0000

I agree with the requested changes. As much sense (pun intended) as Aluminum coins would make they would cause too many issues with coin operated machines due to their weight differences. Both the old and new coinage must be able to be used in vending machines, etc. This issue should have been dealt with as soon as the cost of the metals exceeded the value of the coins struck. With our current debt situation in the US it makes no sense to continue to lose money on each penny and nickel that are struck for circulation! Please support the change!!

By: Leo

Leo — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:38:52 +0000

I also think aluminum would be a better choice. The old steel pennies from 1943 did not handle circulation very well. Aluminum tolerates everyday handling much better and would retain a nicer appearance over time.

By: bill

bill — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 07:39:27 +0000

END THE FED!

By: Clem

Clem — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 01:47:35 +0000

Simple.Recall all the nasty zinc pennies for health reasons. Revalue the pre 1982 penny to a nickel.Better yet.Keep printing dollars and make the copper penny the new dollar.

By: Munze

Munze — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:27:26 +0000

Yes! As almost all of us agree, get rid of the $1 bill! And either introduce a $2 coin at the same time or redesign the $2 bill; every other country with a successful $1 coin also makes extensive use of a Two to minimize the number of coins needed to make change.

To address other points:

> Aluminum tends not to be practical coinage metal because it’s so light. An aluminum cent would weight about 1 gm; I’ve seen aluminum coins in some other countries and they quite literally can blow away in a good breeze!

> What’s wrong with bringing back the half dollar in a smaller size? Halves circulated regularly till 1964. They disappeared for the twin reasons of having JFK’s image put on them that year and continuing to have silver in them till 1970. OK, only 40% but it still made them worth more than face value. Like a $2 coin or 2 cent piece when halves did circulate they were one coin that did the work of two.

> No one said that the new cents would be silver-colored. Canada, Britain, and the EU already make their cents from steel but plate them with copper; they work just fine.

> The reason _1943_ (not 1942) cents rusted was that they were made from low-grade steel not suitable for armaments, and were poorly plated with zinc which reacted almost immediately. Again, those other countries using decent steel and modern plating methods have had no problems with rust.

By: Stewart

Stewart — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:46:38 +0000

Agreed, that we use lots of pennies at the retail level, but just suggesting that we already have enough in common circulation, never mind what we all have stored in a jar somehwere in your home. We could go a decade without making a single circulating penny and we wouldn’t miss a beat. Christ, I must have $20 of common circulating pennies at my disposal, never mind the proof/BU versions.Same goes for nickels/dimes/quarters.

By: kelly

kelly — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 11:51:34 +0000

How many steel circulated pennies from 1942 have you seen are in good condition. They get the rusty appearance and don’t seem to look as good for as long as copper. Do away with the penny is the best solution and as said in. prior post, do away with the paper dollar bill. Bring our goods making back to the US where American jobs could be created, make the country strong and go back to silver coinage.

By: Makoto

Makoto — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 09:18:56 +0000

I agree with the top comment on the Aluminum, but getting rid of the penny wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Believe it or not we use the penny more than any other coin. This Steel penny will be interesting though, bringing back old memories like the 1943 silver penny.

By: UhNo

UhNo — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 04:22:01 +0000

No.. I dont want a pocket full of euro style dollar coins. LESS Coins MORE CASH.