Do We Still Need Pennies?

by Pete Braley

I was at Walmart the other day to pick up a few random things. After shopping I went to the self-checkout and paid with my card but then I noticed that the little bottle of garlic powder had slipped to the back of the carriage. I had already paid and, I’ll admit it, I did think about saying, “Oh screw it” and just leaving. But, I don’t know if it was the way my momma raised me…I figured “I can’t do that”, ya know? Just leave. Stealing it! I didn’t know if the Walmart SWAT team would come out of nowhere and grab me if I tried to leave. They would repel from the roof or something, guns drawn and yell, “Put the garlic powder down before I put YOU down!”

When I scanned the garlic powder it said —$.98. I wasn’t going to pull out my credit card again so I took a dollar out of my pocket, put it in the machine and then “the voice” said, “Please take your change.” It was two pennies. Just two little pennies. Usually I don’t take my change when I’m shopping, especially if it’s just a few coins. There’s usually a little container you can put them in near the cash register but not at the Walmart self-checkout. So I put them in my pocket and went on my way.

I didn’t think about it again until that night when I was emptying my pockets. Two pennies. What do I do with this?

A quick Google search of “Why do we still have pennies “ sent me to a post by Cheapism.com 

“Pennies have almost no purchasing power; it costs more to mint a penny than a penny is worth; and the U.S. Mint could cut its workload significantly just by ceasing production.” 

The post did say that eliminating the penny would result in higher prices because companies would likely round UP to the nearest nickel. God forbid they round DOWN huh?

More research

There are some countries that have already tried this. A story from entrepreneur.com says…

A dozen countries have recently dropped coins of questionable worth. Five years ago, Canada started to phase out its penny, estimating this move would save consumers $11 million Canadian. Australia and New Zealand haven’t had one- or two-cent coins in circulation since the early 1990s. 

The pro penny group

There is a lobbying group, Americans for Common Cents, which represents Jarden Zinc, the company that makes the zinc and copper blanks from which pennies are produced.

This organization has conducted polls showing that more than two-thirds of Americans favor keeping the penny. On its website, the group has different arguments that say eliminating the penny would lead to disaster for consumers, charities, the government, and the economy as a whole.

Their reasons to keep the penny include:

1. They keep prices low. (As previously stated.)
2. Charities rely on them. (I didn’t know this.)
3. They honor President Lincoln. (So does the $5 bill.)
4. Americans like them.

What to do with your pennies

I seriously think I don’t use them anymore so I Googled, “What can we do with Pennie’s?” That led me to a post on Thrillist.com. Their list included: 

1. Use them as a tire thread gauge. The post said, “Hold a penny with Lincoln’s head facing toward the rim of the wheel and place it between several of the grooves in your tire. If you can still see his head and read most of “In God We Trust,” you’ll know your tires are warn and it’s time to switch ’em out
2. Weigh down your curtains.
3. Make a coaster.
4. Fix a wobbly table or chair.
5. Use as a make shift screwdriver.

It doesn’t say anything about spending them and if you’re wondering about “penny” candy? I can’t find any results that it still exists.

In the end

What did I do with those two pennies? I put them on my bureau where they will stay until dusting day. We have a jar of change on the dryer for when we find coins still in pockets on laundry day. I guess I’ll transfer them there, where they will stay until the coin jar gets filled. I asked Priscilla what she does when the jar is full. She said she brings them down to Virginia for our grandson’s piggy bank. Hmmm. I never knew that.

Okay! The next time I have two pennies I’ll know they go to the Liam College Fund! I wonder how many pennies we’ll need?

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