COINS

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

Not much surprises me anymore, but lookee here at what the ol' US Mint has been up to this year:

http://www.usmint.gov/circulating/figures99.cfm?mint_id=0

Production of quarters has tripled from this time last year to ~350 million a month. They only used to make 6 a year for each U.S. resident. This year maybe 15-18.

Dimes are at record levels (251m), and nickels have doubled (184m -- no proposals for carbon-based 5-cent pieces as yet.)

Pennies are back up to a high 936 million in March from a slump into the mid-700 m range earlier. No nasty penny shortages, please!

How _'bout_ that, all you little "Piggies" out there!

-- aren't we (surprised@how.much.we.learn.here?), June 23, 1999

Answers

I get nickels for my piggy. They are still made the same as they were since 1866 25% nickel 75% copper with a weight of 5 grams. The only time that has changed was during World War II when silver was substituted for the nickel it seems that silver wasn't worth as much during that war. In a massive deflation nickles could take on a whole new meaning.

-- think (nickels@realmoney.com), June 23, 1999.

And if you are in the process of, or thinking about, stockpiling cash, its important not to forget to include a fair amount of coinage. In my case, I withdrew all of my money in $50s and $20s to save time (I was in the process of re-locating), then subsequently (after I re-located) made several follow-up trips, over a period of weeks, to various banks and converted to $10s, $5s, $1s and coins.

BTW, on any use of a single bank to convert to smaller denominations, I always kept the amount at $300 or less. I would also try to do it at the end of the week, so if asked I could explain that I was having a "garage sale". Worked like a charm!

-- Jack (jsprat@eld.net), June 23, 1999.

In regards to getting change. How many times has the bank heard that 'garage sale' story? I've gotten that look. I talked to the good folks at my local laundry mat and asked if I could buy off some of their quarters before they turn them in at the bank---no problem, I can get as much as I want. So, find out who services some of the vending machines, parking lot machines, washers/dryers, juke boxes, car wash, meters, heck---even the gumball machines in the supermarket. At my old job, I hauled sometimes $300 just in change (the majority in quarters) to the bank every Monday (weekend park entry fees), I'd rather take the big bills to the bank, less conspicuous. Jingle, jingle!

-- kat (jingles@laundry.mat), June 24, 1999.

Why all the fuss about what you tell your bank? I get rolls of quarters, dimes and nickels every week. Only one teller asked me what I wanted so many for and I told her I was saving coins in case we had a depression in the next few years. She just said okay. Of course she looked about 18. Go to the younger tellers, they haven't got a clue and most don't care.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), June 24, 1999.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ