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Not just individuals, either - coin-op machines of all descriptions and cash registers aren't ready for the change, either. People have been making this argume
by skottk 15y ago
Not just individuals, either - coin-op machines of all descriptions and cash registers aren't ready for the change, either. People have been making this argument since the Carter administration, and I think it's been tried in three separate waves.
- joezydeco 15y agoI worked in the coin-op/vending industry for over a decade. Every single time a new dollar coin was prepared, all the way back to the Susan B Anthony, the manufacturers were ready with coin acceptors and related mechs. Hell, most of the time they were ready BEFORE the coins were issued. Most modern acceptors can even be reprogrammed in the field. The industry WANTS the dollar coin. They've lobbied for it for decades. They've been knocked down by the other lobby, the "Save The Greenback" coalition which was primarily backed by Trent Lott and Ted Kennedy's factions. Why Lott and Kennedy? Lott represented cotton growers, who made the cotton that went into the paper that was manufactured by Crane, the only government-approved mill that could make US Currency stock. Guess where Crane is located? Everyone in the business knew that we couldn't get traction on the dollar coin until the paper dollar is killed. Paper dollars wear out every 18 months as opposed to 30 years for a minted coin. Yet, here we are. Now there's the stigma of "oh, these dollar coins keep failing, let's just stop this nonsense." Understand the precise reason why they've failed and we can fix this.