Have you seen the US $1 Coin?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Jingle, jingle. Have you even seen this US $1 coin? I have not.

It was pictured on one single problem in all of the second grade math for one of the kids I tutor. I thought it was weird and confusing to the kids to pop it in like that with no further reference, and it would seem, little chance of a real-world encounter with it.

I remember some months back people were buying these coins direct from the mint, using the purchase to push up their credit card rewards. I did not do that. That would probably have been my best chance to have seen a $1 coin.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

These are the $1 coins I mean (rather than the Sacagawea coin).

The United States Mint

[bjl584]

I have not seen these yet. I work part time in retail, and I handle quite a bit of money at the cash register, but none of these have come my way.

[creditcardfree]

My girls have some $1 coins they received as gifts. They have not been spent. I'm not sure who is on them. Yes, it seems the curriculum is a bit biased towards those who have experienced these coins.

[disneysteve]

I see them periodically, especially when we take the train into Philly since that's what the machines at the station use (though now we can buy tickets with our credit card so no more coins).

[jerrycates]

Dollar coins, yes that's cool. I think the adults like it as much as the kids too. I just might keep one if ever I get the chance and come across one. Why not? Can be memorable you know.

[disneysteve]

The only way a $1 coin will ever catch on in the US is if they eliminate the $1 bill. As long as the bill is still in use, the coin will never be more than a novelty item. And the mint knows that. That's why they cater mainly to the collector by putting out a new design every few months. They're doing the whole US president series. After that, I'm sure they'll come up with another series.

Personally, I don't carry change. When I do pay cash for something, which is rare, and end up with change in my pocket, it gets dumped as soon as I get home. When my change bank is full, I cash it in.

[mom-from-missouri]

We have seen a lot of them, and had some people pay for their Girl Scout cookies with them...

[feh]

I see them rarely. I like them; I'd rather use a $1 coin than a $1 bill.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by feh

I'd rather use a $1 coin than a $1 bill.

I'm curious why you say that. I'm much rather use a bill. It is small, flat, light and fits in my wallet. No heavy coins in my pocket. No risk of it falling out when I sit down. No need to deal with a combination of coins and bills when paying for something.

If the US does ever switch to a dollar coin, I'll probably do exactly as I do now and just toss them in the change bank when I get them. I usually keep 5-10 $1 bills in my wallet. No way would I keep 5-10 $1 coins in my pocket.

[feh]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

I'm curious why you say that. I'm much rather use a bill. It is small, flat, light and fits in my wallet. No heavy coins in my pocket. No risk of it falling out when I sit down. No need to deal with a combination of coins and bills when paying for something.

If the US does ever switch to a dollar coin, I'll probably do exactly as I do now and just toss them in the change bank when I get them. I usually keep 5-10 $1 bills in my wallet. No way would I keep 5-10 $1 coins in my pocket.

I use a CC for virtually all purchases. The only time I pay cash is for very small (< $5) purchases. I'd rather have 3 or 4 coins in my pocket than carry around a billfold.

I also occasionally use vending machines; coins are much nicer for that situation.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by feh

I use a CC for virtually all purchases. The only time I pay cash is for very small (< $5) purchases. I'd rather have 3 or 4 coins in my pocket than carry around a billfold.

I also occasionally use vending machines; coins are much nicer for that situation.

How do you carry your credit cards, ATM card, license, insurance card, etc? Aren't they in your wallet? Carrying some cash doesn't take up much more space. I just checked my wallet. I've got 12 plastic cards in there at the moment along with some paper items that I always carry. And that's all besides the cash. So eliminating cash would not eliminate the need to carry the wallet.

[greenskeeper]

A lot easier to print worthless paper, minting a coin at least takes some type of physical metal

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by greenskeeper

A lot easier to print worthless paper, minting a coin at least takes some type of physical metal

Yes. It is more cost-efficient for the government to make the coins. The bills only last about 18 months. The coins last 20+ years. I regularly get coins in change that are from the 70's. Nickels and pennies are often older than that (you don't generally see the other coins older due to the silver content). So switching to a dollar coin would save the government millions of dollars in production costs.

[feh]

Originally Posted by disneysteve

How do you carry your credit cards, ATM card, license, insurance card, etc? Aren't they in your wallet? Carrying some cash doesn't take up much more space. I just checked my wallet. I've got 12 plastic cards in there at the moment along with some paper items that I always carry. And that's all besides the cash. So eliminating cash would not eliminate the need to carry the wallet.

I stopped carrying my wallet a couple years ago, because I never used 95% of what I keep in it.

I now just carry my CC and a little cash.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by feh

I stopped carrying my wallet a couple years ago, because I never used 95% of what I keep in it.

I now just carry my CC and a little cash.

Wish I could do that. Too many things in my wallet that I do use regularly, and the ones I use infrequently I never know when I'll need, so they have to be with me.

[LuckyRobin]

If I use the stamp vending machine at the post office to buy stamps after hours, I'll get a dollar coin back in my change. That's the only time I ever see them.

[JimInOK]

We have several of them. We vacationed last year at Branson, MO and their theme park (Silver Dollar City) was celebrating its 50th anniversary. As part of the celebration, they were giving these coins back as change from in-park purchases. (Not silver dollars like the name of the park, but coin dollars at least). It was great! When the kids made souvenir purchases and got them back as change, they loved them and decided they wanted to keep them. So, for the first time ever, they didn't spend their entire budgets on junk that has long since been lost, trashed or otherwise forgotten!

[MonkeyMama]

Yes - we got them as change at a parking garage.

Actually, I know a lot of parents have been using them as tooth fairy money. I thought maybe my MIL had gotten them for the kids or something - but my dh just confirmed he just got them as change.

[AmySL]

Never saw one...
Could someone please post a picture.