The E-Sylum:  Volume 11, Number 9, March 2, 2008, Article 28

WILL ELIMINATING THE CENT ELIMINATE PENNY PROTEST PAYMENTS?

Dick Johnson writes: "Abolishing the cent would eliminate
a widespread irritant: payment in pennies. Most toll booth
collectors now refuse cents for toll payments. Fare hikes
invariably bring out protesters who want to pay bus fares
in cents, causing annoying delays in coin counting, whether
manually, or the fare box churning through the coppers.

"We recall one unfortunate numismatist who tried to pay his
sizable amount in a divorce settlement in thousands of cents.
The wife rejected the coins and took him back to court. The
judge made him offer a more convenient currency. In a pique
he buried the coins in his back yard only to dig them up later.

"The latest occurred this week when 29 New Jersey eighth-
graders decided to protest their shortened lunch period.
They paid their $2 lunch fee in cents. School officials
gave them all detention.

"The law used to be cents are legal tender up to 50 coins,
subsidiary coins up to $10 face (and when gold circulated
gold coins must be accepted for unlimited payment amounts).
However, in this day of hipper sensitivity, where too many
protest too much, the law is abrogated. Make your own rules
about how many -- and what -- coins you will accept."

Here's the New Jersey school article:
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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