The last-ever penny will be minted today in Philadelphia

Post by dpark » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 7:39 PM UTC

jacobgkau wrote: post #348

dpark wrote: post #330

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is nonsense. No store is going to charge a multi item fee so that they can try to scrape an extra penny off their customers. As someone else’s already pointed out, they could just do this today if they believe their customers will accept it. Did you forget that stores can just raise prices? Your premise that stores will find a way to force rounding up is nonsense. It’s nonsense because stores aren’t actually goi…

> As someone else’s already pointed out, they could just do this today if they believe their customers will accept it. Did you forget that stores can just raise prices? As I already pointed out, customers would be more likely to accept it if there's an excuse for it (pennies are being phased out) than just randomly. The discussion's about what rounding may cause, not about what stores have the legal ability to do. >…

Post by firefax » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 7:40 PM UTC

Night_Thastus wrote: post #141

I'd say screw it, get rid of nickles and dimes as well. Quarters can stay, for now. It's a complete waste of money and time continuing to mint such low-value currency. It can't be used for just about anything. Unfortunately, I do see the problem with part of this. For a handful of items where it does matter, it will force people to use cards more if they want to avoid rounding. And the card providers already have a c…

Post by zahlman » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 7:40 PM UTC

jacobgkau wrote: post #301

bigfishrunning wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

but then you buy 2 things, and it's $2.06. round down! or you buy 4 and it's $4.12. round down! it'll come out in the wash. there are much bigger things to worry about.

You attempt that at my store. To help ensure my business is sustainable in these hard times (/s), I'm imposing a "multi-item order" fee at my store. Now what?

Post by tiagod » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 7:40 PM UTC

zer00eyz wrote: post #278

Night_Thastus wrote: post #141

I'd say screw it, get rid of nickles and dimes as well. Quarters can stay, for now. It's a complete waste of money and time continuing to mint such low-value currency. It can't be used for just about anything. Unfortunately, I do see the problem with part of this. For a handful of items where it does matter, it will force people to use cards more if they want to avoid rounding. And the card providers already have a c…

> It's a complete waste of money and time continuing to mint such low-value currency. It can't be used for just about anything. The problem: the dollar is almost global in its usage. The penny may not be important to the US, but it dam well is every where else where dollars are still in use frequently, along side, or in place of the local/native currency. Getting rid of the penny will have implications, getting rid o…

Post by tempestn » Wed, Nov 12, 2025, 7:41 PM UTC

echelon wrote: post #340

smeej wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you buy two things at $1.03 or $1.04, it's $2.06 or $2.07 and rounds down to $2.05 more often than it's $2.08 and rounds up to $2.10. That's not "some clever ways." That's so basic it's absurd. They don't know how many things you're going to buy. They don't know how many things anyone is going to buy. There's no way to game the entire system for every combination of things people might buy. Never mind this: When w…

If there is no rounding down, it could amount to more. Hypothetically if you incur 10,000 transactions per year with the max rounding up of $0.04 per transaction, you're out $400. This doesn't make a huge impact to individuals, but it absolutely will to large volume businesses.