Coin Shortage in the US

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0Scarlett_nidiyilii

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So I was at the food store yesterday and there were sign on all the self-checkout stations that shoppers could only pay with credit card because of a coin shortage.


This makes me uneasy because although I had planned to pay with credit card anyway, I like to have the choice to do it.

My life is pretty boring, and I don’t think anybody’s tracking me anyway, but I don’t like the idea that someday all my purchase can be a matter of record.
 
It’s partly my fault. I’ve got a jar of coins. I periodically cash them in, but haven’t been able to.

Sorry about that.

😉

I guess paying with exact change could be an option.
 
Just ask them to put it on Norm Peterson’s tab and walk away.
 
People are hoarding cash. That includes coins.

Nothing new here: when times are bad, there will always be the flight to cash on the part of businesses and individuals. Another facet of this is the noticeable reduction in consumer credit card balances.
 
Doesn’t bother me, I rarely use cash for any payment as I get free stuff like points for Amazon and Grubhub and food purchases at the stores by using my CC, or an app linked to my CC.

Coins are mostly fun for dropping in those tornado things where you watch the penny roll down and it goes to charity. Or for gumball machines or throwing in fountains to make a wish.
 
0Scarlett_nidiyilii said:
So I was at the food store yesterday and there were sign on all the self-checkout stations that shoppers could only pay with credit card because of a coin shortage.
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I’ve seen some of the stores that I use finally enable contactless payments. There is a lot more motivation to do that now days.
Tis_Bearself said:
Doesn’t bother me, I rarely use cash for any payment as I get free stuff like points for Amazon and Grubhub and food purchases at the stores by using my CC, or an app linked to my CC.
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Likewise. Well, I had been getting travel credits. I have enough to get to Japan and back at this point. But not travelling doesn’t feel like a good idea. I’m not making any long term decisions yet, but perhaps I should consider a different points reward.

I withdrew some cash back in September I think. I still have it sitting in a bag of things that I take with me when I travel. I don’t use cash that much.
 
I mostly use it on the lottery (which still won’t take CC in USA), on donations for Church candles, and at craft fairs where some vendors still don’t want to take CC.
Virtually every place else now takes CC. I can remember when fast food or “fast casual” like Au Bon Pain wouldn’t take it, but those days are long gone. Even vending machines now take CC.
 
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I will add that coins (and paper money) are filthy anyway and could easily spread Covid as well.

@F_Marturana, I’m to blame, too! I probably have over $500 in coin right now! Perhaps it’s our duty to go to the bank and deposit them?
 
Bit off topic but it’s several months since this particular Brit paid with anything other than her phone - contactless has been growing rapidly but during the pandemic there’s been a big push on not using cash.
 
If I can share a story.

As newlyweds, we had a can of coins we kept over the fridge. In the apartment we had, the trash can fit right next to the fridge.

One day, the can toppled off of the fridge and into the trash can. My husband and I didn’t realize it right away. I guess it was to close to the edge and the fridge vibrations knocked it off.

My husband was in charge of garbage duty. So he took out the garbage, with the can of change and all.

I realized what happened when I had some change for the can.

I asked my husband if he knew where it was.

His face went, 🥺😳. He threw it away, wondering why it was so heavy.
 
sloancaprice said:
is that the right thing to call them?
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I expect it would depend on the language (Ireland is the only English-speaking Euro member), I only know to say X Euro or Y centesimi (we only ever go to Italy).

You lost out a little on the 20 cent but more than balanced it with the 50 cent, trouble is nowhere to spend it, I suppose. 😀
 
If any of you find yourselves helping to clear out an elderly relative’s home after their passing, do take a look at whatever stashes of coins, stamps, etc., that they left behind. Dunno anything about European coinage, but in the US, pre-1965 dimes, quarters and half dollars have silver content in them and hence are worth much more than their face value. I seem to recall that 1965-1970 half dollars still had some silver content in them as well, but in general coins from 1965 on are likely still worth only face value, especially if they show any wear. Those I would just cash out at a coin kiosk, but the silver coins can be sold in bulk over eBay unless one happens to find a unique coin that’s worth a lot by itself.
 
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I’m always trying to unload my coins so that they stay in circulation - my nightmare is that the government will have to make more coins at the various mints to compensate for the very kind of shortage we’re seeing right now. (And I’m always failing at that task of unloading my coins; my coin purse always seems to be full of them.)
 
In times past my coin jar was an indicator on how well my personal economy was doing.
 
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