I was not aware that we are in the middle of a coin shortage 2 2

[Hinkle]

12 minutes ago, Coinbuf said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that a decision on to or not to produce pennies is up to the mint.

Now I'm thinking about it your right. All's I know they are deciding this because there losing 71 million or billion making penny's as it is. Just alot be said, because of this pandemic. 

[Coinbuf]

While on a tour of the Denver mint last summer the guide told the group that the mint loses money on the cent and nickel (almost breakeven on the nickel), but it more than makes up for those loses on what is made by producing the dime, quarter, and dollar coins.  I'm not all that up on the procedures but I think it will take an act of congress to order the cessation of penny production, and I would expect that to be all over every coin forum in a heartbeat.

[kbbpll]

No coin shortage at the liquor store today. The hag in front of me was paying for her bottle of vodka in quarters, dimes, nickels, and cents. Slowly. She came up about 25 cents short and had to start over.

[Hinkle]

I think a few collectors would love to speak with Ms. White. 

[Henri Charriere]

On 7/8/2020 at 3:41 PM, VKurtB said:

I'm rolling and even boxing cents for my neighborhood RiteAid, the people who keep me alive.

"We keep you alive to serve this ship -- row well, and live."  Quintus Arrius to Judah Ben-Hur in the 1959 movie classic, BEN-HUR.

[Henri Charriere]

26 minutes ago, Hinkle said:

I think a few collectors would love to speak with Ms. White. 

I am not a collector of pennies but it seems to me there is a world of a difference between the old "copper" Wheaties and (excuse my French) the new-fangled garbage out there now. Pseudo coppers. A penny that costs two pennies to mint! The writing is on the wall. Good riddance!

[Henri Charriere]

1 hour ago, kbbpll said:

No coin shortage at the liquor store today. The hag in front of me was paying for her bottle of vodka in quarters, dimes, nickels, and cents. Slowly. She came up about 25 cents short and had to start over.

When a spinster pulled that stunt at the local supermarket I ridiculed her loudly (all pennies being laboriously counted out by hand) gave the cashier a dollar and said, Let's get going now! I throw my new pennies in the street where they belong.

[Henri Charriere]

On 6/26/2020 at 2:35 PM, Coinbuf said:

I don't know where you got this info but not everyone is rounding up, I know I have not been.

That's common knowledge. When I get pennies in change, I give 'em right back:  "Here, you need these more than I do."

[Coinbuf]

Just now, Quintus Arrius said:

That's common knowledge. When I get pennies in change, I give 'em right back:  "Here, you need these more than I do."

That is not rounding up, that is giving money away.

[Henri Charriere]

Just now, Coinbuf said:

That is not rounding up, that is giving money away.

Whatever. Are you serious? Who cares?

[Henri Charriere]

On 6/25/2020 at 10:47 PM, Just Bob said:

All right, "roll searchers." Time to turn those coins back in to the bank.

From the local Lowe's store this evening:

 

I don't know about pennies, or change for that matter, but I like large coins. I settled on half dollars for their relatively large size and heft reminiscent of the Morgans of my youth. You can imagine my surprise when, for the umpteenth time, a teller at my bank told me she had the large-sized dollars. I thought she meant Sacagaweas but when I asked, she insisted they were "silver" dollars, the only coins left in the midst of this shortage. When I took her up on her offer, it turned out they were Ikes. Lots of them. I am not particularly fond of Ikes, but they beat pedestrian half dollars by a mile.  I told her I'd take all she had. A dozen rolls, and get this, ALL bicentennials. Some old codger saved them likely in the hopes they would become valuable someday. I don't ever recall getting an Ike in change.  Change shortage, indeed! (She had plenty of two-dollar bills, too. Great stuff!

[Hinkle]

I mean if anyone don't don't want there penny's or small change , I'll send you my address ,then you can send them to me.

[Henri Charriere]

1 minute ago, Hinkle said:

I mean if anyone don't don't want there penny's or small change , I'll send you my address ,then you can send them to me.

The streets of New York City are literally paved with NEW pennies. As far as I am concerned, they stopped making real COPPER pennies in 1959. Apparently, a lot of my fellow New Yorkers feel the same way.  I am [damned near] 70 and have yet to see anyone, fork or knife in hand, try to gouge a penny out of asphalt. In point of fact, there are countless nickels and dimes embedded in asphalt not to mention the tons thrown into city fountains for good luck or whatever. Just to be clear, I have stooped down for quarters.

[Hinkle]

8 minutes ago, Quintus Arrius said:

The streets of New York City are literally paved with NEW pennies. As far as I am concerned, they stopped making real COPPER pennies in 1959. Apparently, a lot of my fellow New Yorkers feel the same way.  I am [damned near] 70 and have yet to see anyone, fork or knife in hand, try to gouge a penny out of asphalt. In point of fact, there are countless nickels and dimes embedded in asphalt not to mention the tons thrown into city fountains for good luck or whatever. Just to be clear, I have stooped down for quarters.

With this being said, maybe I'll take a trip to New York and pull some of them coin's up out of the asphalt. And then post them on here and try to convince everyone there errors. Because you know them are going to be some very bad damaged coin's. Lol and to be honest I stoop down and pick up any coin, it's fun.

[Henri Charriere]

2 minutes ago, Hinkle said:

With this being said, maybe I'll take a trip to New York and pull some of them coin's up out of the asphalt. And then post them on here and try to convince everyone there errors. Because you know them are going to be some very bad damaged coin's. Lol and to be honest I stoop down and pick up any coin, it's fun.

Mr. Hinkle, you're a funny guy.

How am I funny?

You know, the way you tell a story. You're funny!

No, I don't know. You said it!  How am I funny?  You mean, I am here to amuse you? How the **** am I funny? What the **** is so funny about me?

Almost had you... I don't know about you -----. You might fold under questioning.

YOU ARE A FUNNY GUY!

That's it, ------!

AHHHHHHH!

***

You are a decent guy, Mr. Hinkle. A real gentleman. How can I tell? From reading that last line. Very humble and matter-of-fact. Enviable traits so sorely lacking in the concrete jungle.

[Hinkle]

16 minutes ago, Quintus Arrius said:

Mr. Hinkle, you're a funny guy.

How am I funny?

You know, the way you tell a story. You're funny!

No, I don't know. You said it!  How am I funny?  You mean, I am here to amuse you? How the **** am I funny? What the **** is so funny about me?

Almost had you... I don't know about you -----. You might fold under questioning.

YOU ARE A FUNNY GUY!

That's it, ------!

AHHHHHHH!

***

You are a decent guy, Mr. Hinkle. A real gentleman. How can I tell? From reading that last line. Very humble and matter-of-fact. Enviable traits so sorely lacking in the concrete jungle.

I just basically get on here to have fun. I'm 44 years of age. There's no way I will have many, many years of experience like alot of people. So I'm just trying to cram everything in my little brain so I know a few things. Idk if that's bad or good, but it's worth it. Gotta love the hobby. 

[Henri Charriere]

55 minutes ago, Hinkle said:

I just basically get on here to have fun. I'm 44 years of age. There's no way I will have many, many years of experience like alot of people. So I'm just trying to cram everything in my little brain so I know a few things. Idk if that's bad or good, but it's worth it. Gotta love the hobby. 

You made my day with those jewels of wisdom!

[VKurtB]

15 hours ago, Coinbuf said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that a decision on to or not to produce pennies is up to the mint.

You are correct. The US Mint “decides” almost nothing, other than some details on bullion pieces. Your Congress Critters make almost ALL coinage decisions.

[Henri Charriere]

1 hour ago, VKurtB said:

You are correct. The US Mint “decides” almost nothing, other than some details on bullion pieces. Your Congress Critters make almost ALL 

On 6/30/2020 at 12:14 PM, VKurtB said:

Okay, I confess, it's me. I caused it. I'm the guy. I have too many coins. It's 1964 all over again. I feel so dirty now. 

Nope, not you. Not even one Federal Reserve district can precipitate a shortage. (Drug money, however, can effect a surplus as seen in South Florida in the 1980's.)

[Henri Charriere]

1 hour ago, VKurtB said:

You are correct. The US Mint “decides” almost nothing, other than some details on bullion pieces. Your Congress Critters make almost ALL coinage decisions.

I wrote the Mint director a few years ago to induce him to come up with some more appropriate designs in time for the country's SESTERCENTENNIAL (250th anniversary: 2026) and was politely advised that only Congress can make that call, after appropriate study.  U.S. coins are just not as attractive as they once were and plenty of countries print better currency. (I am glad I picked up a number of those old trillion-dollar Zimbabwean banknotes when they were being sold for only five dollars.) To think, there was a time when U.S. coins were proudly featured on U.S. currency! Maybe a hitherto unknown artist can produce a rendering more deserving of national adulation. The present sludge just doesn't cut it. My opinion, right or wrong.

[VKurtB]

When my city and county celebrated their 250th anniversaries, they called it a bicenquincuagenery.  Whatever.

[Henri Charriere]

44 minutes ago, VKurtB said:

When my city and county celebrated their 250th anniversaries, they called it a bicenquincuagenery.  Whatever.

Well, now you know the scientific name translated from the Latin Vulgate, by Jerome, c. 400 C.E. (Iuxta Vulgatum Versionem, Wurttembergisce Bibelanstalt, Stuttgart, 1975 which is very often confused with the Codex Leningrad B 19A, Heb., 1008 C.E., H.S., Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library, Leningrad, (now, present-day) Russia.

[VKurtB]

8 minutes ago, Quintus Arrius said:

Well, now you know the scientific name translated from the Latin Vulgate, by Jerome, c. 400 C.E. (Iuxta Vulgatum Versionem, Wurttembergisce Bibelanstalt, Stuttgart, 1975 which is very often confused with the Codex Leningrad B 19A, Heb., 1008 C.E., H.S., Saltykov-Shchedrin State Public Library, Leningrad, (now, present-day) Russia.

Me? I'm going with 250th anniversary and dropping the BS.

[Henri Charriere]

12 minutes ago, VKurtB said:

Me? I'm going with 250th anniversary and dropping the BS.

That may be fine for birthdays and weddings, but not coins.  Recall those lovely sesquicentennial coins from 1926. Lighten up, VKurtB. Put down that jackhammer. Life is too short, especially now, in the twilight of our years.

[VKurtB]

42 minutes ago, Quintus Arrius said:

That may be fine for birthdays and weddings, but not coins.  Recall those lovely sesquicentennial coins from 1926. Lighten up, VKurtB. Put down that jackhammer. Life is too short, especially now, in the twilight of our years.

What? No love for the bicentennial stuff?

[Henri Charriere]

5 minutes ago, VKurtB said:

What? No love for the bicentennial stuff?

Ah, you're a mensch! I am all but constrained to defer to age and wisdom.

[Conder101]

On 8/3/2020 at 5:14 PM, Modwriter said:

The mint is exploring less expensive metals for the penny and nickel. If they can't, expect the penny and nickel to be eliminated.

Yes, they have been studying that problem for 8 years now.  Still trying to find some metal they can use for the cent where its cost added to the 1.1 cent manufacturing cost will add up to less than 1 cent.  They just need to find a metal that costs negative .3 cents.

 

On 8/3/2020 at 6:38 PM, Coinbuf said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that a decision on to or not to produce pennies is up to the mint.

It's up to the Federal Reserve, they don't order any. the Mint won't make any. 

The cent will still be an authorized coin, but just because it is authorized doesn't mean you have to make it.  And if the mint makes them without orders from the Federal Reserve they will just pile up in storage at the Mint.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Conder101

[Henri Charriere]

To penny collectors, everywhere: my deepest condolences.

[Henri Charriere]

[Pardon my intrusion, but the Federal Reserve isn't a shot-caller. Congress is the one voting on appropriations and without funding from Congress, neither the Federal Reserve or the Mint can act unilaterally. (If I am wrong, someone will undoubtedly avail himself of the unprecedented opportunity to eviscerate me.)

[VKurtB]

32 minutes ago, Quintus Arrius said:

[Pardon my intrusion, but the Federal Reserve isn't a shot-caller. Congress is the one voting on appropriations and without funding from Congress, neither the Federal Reserve or the Mint can act unilaterally. (If I am wrong, someone will undoubtedly avail himself of the unprecedented opportunity to eviscerate me.)

The 12 Federal Reserve Branch Banks are responsible for routing coinage into the banking system for their member banks. Other banks, such as state-chartered banks, use a private jobber for this. But when demand for coins is high, the Mint produces more. When demand for coins is low, such as in 2009, fewer are made. The 12 Federal Reserve Banks make those orders. Of course, getting four different cents produced, and six different quarters, also put the brakes on creating nickels and dimes in 2009. Kind of a double whammy. The Federal Reserve Banks do not get much of a federal appropriation, because they are actually cash-flow positive. The Federal Reserve HQ in Washington does get a small appropriation and only those staffers working there are even federal employees. It's really near the Vietnam memorial, on the north side of the Mall.

 

The six most eastern FRB's order from Philadelphia, and the rest from Denver. However, in case of shortages, occasionally the two mints cross-ship. I have only once found brand new current year coins in a cash register from Denver where I live.

Edited August 5, 2020 by VKurtB