2017 Cents to Have "P" Mint Mark

[Frank]

Not to mention the bazillions of vending machines!

[enamel7]

I am curious, could they legally discontinue the cent without telling the public?

No. It takes an act of Congress to change anything money wise. That includes design changes.

[GrumpyEd]

I am curious, could they legally discontinue the cent without telling the public?

I'm sure they would tell the public but the public doesn't need to agree if congress does it.

As much as I like cents, they're sort of irrelevant. Younger people don't pick them up, I find them almost every time I walk.
In perspective, in the 1790s when the US first made coins they went down to half cents. With inflation that's probably like a half dollar or more. They didn't ever use millicents (other than tax tokens). Back then a handful of cents could buy something but today it won't do much.

Imagine if for one week you had to shop using only cents. It would take a few bricks to buy groceries, an appliance would take a trunk full. Imagine paying for even a grocery trip, handing the clerk $65.37 in cents, they'd be counting them for an hour. Just imagine going through the drive thru and buying a couple burgers and handing them 1259 cents for $12.59, they'd probably call the cops.

They cost much more than a cent to make, their accounting of just over a cent isn't realistic. There is no way they really can make them for less than a few cents or more if they include the mint buildings, employee healthcare and retirement and pay or the congress time spent deciding if it needs a P or not. They justify stuff with accounting that would never work for a non government outfit, if they had cents made by a normal company with real accounting I bet they cost more.

[VAB2013]

That is true GrumpyEd, but thinking about abolishing the Lincoln cent is sad I don't even care if it raises the value of our finds, what would we do for fun??

[onecent1909]

I am curious, could they legally discontinue the cent without telling the public?

No. It takes an act of Congress to change anything money wise. That includes design changes.

I think the question is Can they discontinue the cent.
answer is .... Yes they could stop making the cent because they have enough in circulation at this time.
1815 cent: no copper planchettes
1933 quarters
1922,1932,1933 dimes
ETC
every denomination has had a stoppage at some time
The mint can stop production if they do not need the coin.
Discontinuing it forever?
I would think they would let people know.
stopping for years (SBA 1981 to 1999)
Yea it could happen

[onecent1909]

or the congress time spent deciding if it needs a P or not.

The mint decided this, Congress had no input.

[jfines69]

I'm sure they would tell the public but the public doesn't need to agree if congress does it.

As much as I like cents, they're sort of irrelevant. Younger people don't pick them up, I find them almost every time I walk.
In perspective, in the 1790s when the US first made coins they went down to half cents. With inflation that's probably like a half dollar or more. They didn't ever use millicents (other than tax tokens). Back then a handful of cents could buy something but today it won't do much.

Imagine if for one week you had to shop using only cents. It would take a few bricks to buy groceries, an appliance would take a trunk full. Imagine paying for even a grocery trip, handing the clerk $65.37 in cents, they'd be counting them for an hour. Just imagine going through the drive thru and buying a couple burgers and handing them 1259 cents for $12.59, they'd probably call the cops.

They cost much more than a cent to make, their accounting of just over a cent isn't realistic. There is no way they really can make them for less than a few cents or more if they include the mint buildings, employee healthcare and retirement and pay or the congress time spent deciding if it needs a P or not. They justify stuff with accounting that would never work for a non government outfit, if they had cents made by a normal company with real accounting I bet they cost more.

Imagine paying for a new Ferrari with cents

[jfines69]

Start with a cent on day one and double it every day for a month and see how much you have after the last day - Day 1 = 1c, Day 2 = 2c, day 3 = 4c, day 4 = 8c, etc... I pick them up

[Maineman750]

They cost much more than a cent to make, their accounting of just over a cent isn't realistic. There is no way they really can make them for less than a few cents or more if they include the mint buildings, employee healthcare and retirement and pay or the congress time spent deciding if it needs a P or not. They justify stuff with accounting that would never work for a non government outfit, if they had cents made by a normal company with real accounting I bet they cost more.

This is one argument against the cent, that I call a red herring. First off, a cent is only a tool used for exchange and the cost to make it has nothing to do with the value it represents. If it is used 100 times, does that make it worth 1 dollar, or used 10,000 times, worth 100 dollars ? The idea that government can manufacture wealth out of non-precious metals or paper is ridiculous....using that logic they should only create one million dollar bills. And yes, I know they try, but it is all an illusion in the end...one day we will pay the piper.

[Petespockets55]

Just when I thought the Shields couldn't get any uglier.

http://www.coinworld.com/news/us-coi...irst-time.html

A really "bland" design. Where is the beauty or history?

[VAB2013]

I think it was interesting that the addition of the "P" was recommended by mint workers as an achievement. Is that kinda like getting a tattoo to celebrate something special or was the conversation more like.... Denver has a D... we want a P!

[Petespockets55]

This is one argument against the cent, that I call a red herring. First off, a cent is only a tool used for exchange and the cost to make it has nothing to do with the value it represents. If it is used 100 times, does that make it worth 1 dollar, or used 10,000 times, worth 100 dollars ? The idea that government can manufacture wealth out of non-precious metals or paper is ridiculous....using that logic they should only create one million dollar bills. And yes, I know they try, but it is all an illusion in the end...one day we will pay the piper.

At the end of the day isn't all wealth an illusion we have all bought into? You can't eat it or start a fire for comfort with it. All we do is use it for barter or bragging rights. Might be able to build shelter if you had enough gold and silver bars tho!!

[Petespockets55]

Start with a cent on day one and double it every day for a month and see how much you have after the last day - Day 1 = 1c, Day 2 = 2c, day 3 = 4c, day 4 = 8c, etc... I pick them up

Well, for Feb.(picked a short month since I was in a hurry this morning) would only be $932,582.68 I believe!
I don't think even the pockets on my cargo pants would hold them all!

[Roller]

We can all go back to the barter system. Try carrying a cow in your pants pocket.

[willbrooks]

Just think of all of the traffic the forum will get next year when people see a P on their cents and ask if it is an error!