Sorta OT Post office refuses service, no half dollars

WinPitcher · January 10, 2007 7:22AM

Today I went to the PO and was refused service. seems the postal person had a problem accepting 10.00 worth of kennedy halves. A federal agency refused to accept my US legal tender.

Does anyone know if that was ok?

I assume that a certain amt. can be refused but 10.00?

Steve

tmot99 · January 10, 2007 7:29AM

Seems out of line. I'd bring in 3900 pennies to get a hundred stamps. They can't refuse those, right?

dorancoins · January 10, 2007 7:31AM

<< Today I went to the PO and was refused service. seems the postal person had a problem accepting 10.00 worth of kennedy halves. A federal agency refused to accept my US legal tender.

Does anyone know if that was ok?

I assume that a certain amt. can be refused but 10.00?

Steve >>

The Postal Service cannot do that unless the Govt says that half dollars are no longer legal tender, which has never happened. I would raise cain at the postmaster for this.

Russ · January 10, 2007 7:33AM

<< Does anyone know if that was ok? >>

It is perfectly legal for any business, including the Post Office, to refuse any kind of payment they please.

Russ, NCNE

mozeppa · January 10, 2007 7:33AM

yes ...they can refuse them...all coinage in fact!

they're way out of it is that coinage does NOT say "legal tender for all debts public and private" on them.

Russ · January 10, 2007 7:34AM

<< yes ...they can refuse them...all coinage in fact!

they're way out of it is that coinage does NOT say "legal tender for all debts public and private" on them. >>

It is also perfectly legal to refuse currency.

Russ, NCNE

kimon1230 · January 10, 2007 7:40AM

Can a business in the US say that they only accept payment in, for example, bottle-caps?
How about only accepting foreign currency?

mozeppa · January 10, 2007 7:53AM

i once saw a car dealer yelling on the t.v.

"......yes sir you bring me 2500 bananas for this little beauty here...and you can drive home with it!"

some woman did just that!........bought 2500 bananas at the grocery store, and took em down to the car dealer...AND GOT HER THE CAR!

TRUE STORY!

CoinHusker · January 10, 2007 7:53AM

<< Can a business in the US say that they only accept payment in, for example, bottle-caps?
How about only accepting foreign currency? >>

There's a pizza chain in Texas that is now accepting Pesos in payment.

Russ · January 10, 2007 8:00AM

<< Can a business in the US say that they only accept payment in, for example, bottle-caps?
How about only accepting foreign currency? >>

Yes, and yes.

Russ, NCNE

19Lyds · January 10, 2007 8:05AM

I would try to get over it and realize that some postal clerks can be real jerks at times!

I had one refuse to accept a registered parcel because the shipping label, which was an adhesive backed label, had a piece of clear tape on it. The entire parcel was sealed in the postal paper tape but he would not accept it.

I just went to a different post office where I knew the clerk and she did not have any problems with it at all.

ss350camaro · January 10, 2007 8:08AM

Sounds like they can (according to quite a few here), but it is 'right'?

Not hardly. The clerk was an idiot.

53BKid · January 10, 2007 9:50AM

Even though it appears they can do that, it just seems so wrong.

On the other hand, I don't think the U.S. mint would accept stamps for payment on any of their sales-- (Just kidding)

Why not contact the post master there and let him know your disappointment.

p8nt · January 10, 2007 11:07AM

I was being helped by a clerk when the clock turned 6pm. She said I would have to come back to mail the rest. The post office...

drwstr123 · January 10, 2007 7:25PM

<< I was being helped by a clerk when the clock turned 6pm. She said I would have to come back to mail the rest. The post office...

>>

Please don't assume that it was the clerk's decision to leave . The cleck was probably under management's orders to leave before OT.
If there are problems now, wait a little. It's going to get worse. Mike

COINB0Y · January 10, 2007 10:08PM

You should have gone over to the Automatic Stamp machine, put in $10.01 of Kennedies + 1 penny, bought a 1 cent stamp and hit the finished button and used the (10) Sacs/SBA's they give you back as payment.

kimon1230 · January 10, 2007 10:08PM

All this information is very interesting to me. I had no idea.

I haven't decided yet if I agree with it or not, though I'm leaning towards wanting to require the acceptance of official US currency.

On the one hand, you have the currency of the country that should be accepted, otherwise the economy may have problems.
On the other hand, you have the freedom to do whatever the heck you want.

WinPitcher · January 10, 2007 10:11PM

Thanks for all the replies.

Coinboy she said they do not take dollar coins either. She called them 'tokens' This PO also, did not have one of those machines. It is an annex type PO.

Steve

ccr · January 10, 2007 10:58PM

I had a similar experience with a $50 bill a few months ago. The post office I go to has a digital clock and got in line just before 10AM. By the time I got to the counter and asked for a book of stamps, I pulled out and attempted to pay with a $50. The clerk said they can`t accept it as they can`t accept $50`s before 10AM. I pointed to the clock and said " You can now because it`s 10:01. "

He got an angry look and said, " Just remember not to pay with $50`s before 10AM. " What a dolt.

WillieBoyd2 · January 10, 2007 11:51PM

It's not nice to get Postal workers angry.

BobaFett72 · January 11, 2007 12:18AM

ask to speak the manager and raise a ruckuss.
Tell them, this is why they are losing business to UPS

Then go to the bank and get 1,000 pennies and slowly flick them one at a time into this jackholes face.

ccr · January 11, 2007 3:21AM

<< It's not nice to get Postal workers angry. >>

Great, another troll.

kiyote · January 11, 2007 4:38AM

I would NOT want to get stuck with 20 Kennedy halves as payment for anything...

Coxe · January 11, 2007 4:47AM

The Post Office is not an agency of the federal government, evenn though they use the civil service examination for employment. They and the IRS are contracting companies.

I believe there is no requirement for any business to accept US coins for payment. It differs from currency and then only because the rules were made when the acceptance of notes wasn't the norm.

You're lucky that you were (1) not arrested for trying to use those counterfeit thingies or (2) not the victim of post-holiday disgruntled postal worker syndrome.

flaminio · January 11, 2007 6:00AM

Just want to clarify that it's not the USPS doing this; it's just one pinhead clerk.

Any business can refuse any payment (as Russ said), but only a pinhead would refuse a few half dollars. If you backed in a truckload, I could see it, but one role -- GMAFB.

baccaruda · January 11, 2007 7:13AM

U.S. coins and currency are legal tender for all debts, public and private. If you owe someone money, they MUST accept it as payment. There is nothing saying that anyone has to accept it in exchange for goods or services.

TwoSides2aCoin · January 11, 2007 7:20AM

<< 

<< Can a business in the US say that they only accept payment in, for example, bottle-caps?
How about only accepting foreign currency? >>

There's a pizza chain in Texas that is now accepting Pesos in payment. >>

I just heard this news yesterday, it's true.
Hi Mitch

.. Nice to see you post.

ILikeMercs · January 11, 2007 7:24AM

<< Thanks for all the replies.

Coinboy she said they do not take dollar coins either. She called them 'tokens' This PO also, did not have one of those machines. It is an annex type PO.

Steve >>

those are considered "subcontractors"

WinPitcher · January 11, 2007 7:30AM

those are considered "subcontractors"

This was an official PO, not a store that also sells stamps. It is a branch of a main PO.

I guess from the replies this person was in the right. What I may do is everyday go and buy 1 39 cent stamp and pay with a Kennedy.

:-)

Steve

WinPitcher · January 11, 2007 7:33AM

The Post Office is not an agency of the federal government

Coxe I have heard and read that too. However a few years back a post man was killed and the perp was charged with killing a federal employee. Wonder why that was?

Steve

Rodius · January 11, 2007 7:58AM

<< Does anyone know if that was ok?

It is perfectly legal for any business, including the Post Office, to refuse any kind of payment they please.

Russ, NCNE >>

Russ speaks the truth. On the other side for a private business you can accept any form of barter for payment. I trade advertisement for product, mow my lawn and you get 5 free ice cream cones. And I can refuse bills and coins if they do not look right. This is the way it is. Get rid of your halves at your local 7/11 or go have a drink and leave them for the waitress

53BKid · January 11, 2007 9:11AM

<< those are considered "subcontractors"

I guess from the replies this person was in the right. What I may do is everyday go and buy 1 39 cent stamp and pay with a Kennedy.

:-)

>>

Be careful, according to the media, these guys at times can go postal!

Utmost · January 11, 2007 9:23AM

Once in a while somebody tries to give me the business for spending large amounts of change or odd denominations. I just count out as close to the amount needed as possible (going over, of course), put it on the counter and leave. Let them call the police if they want to.

WinPitcher · January 11, 2007 9:31AM

I could not do that as i was leaving the package with them, not the other way around.

Steve

carl · January 11, 2007 9:46AM

I am afraid many people are missing the fact that the postal clerk was probably like most of the population lately. Most have never seen a half dollar, large silver dollar, $2 bill. It's not their fault that no one is using those things and they just think you are trying to pull a fast one. Did you hear in the news not long ago a lady bought some food at a fast food place and used a $4 bill? They gave her change too. I go to a restaruant around here and always leave half dollars as tips. I always have to tell waitresses not to throw them away because they are real. One person at that place told me a waitress threw out my tip because she thought I was a nut with kids money. I've had many people tell me they would not accept $2 bills because there are no such things. When I try to use an IKE dollar that really gets people saying stupid things. However, in reverse of that at a flea market a guy saw me pay with halves and asked me if I had more. I went to my car, got 2 rolls for him. He wanted to pay me double but I just laughed and said I pick them up at the bank every week and the last time I got 20 rolls. Most of the flea markets around here are loaded with possibly some people that may not have gotten here legally. They also have never seen a half dollar. Of course if I handed them a peso they would know that.

WinPitcher · January 11, 2007 10:00AM

Speaking of getting rolls at the bank, how many silvers do you get?

I usually get 1 40% per 3 or 4 rolls.

Once I got a worn down standing liberty.

edited to add: this person knew what they were, she just did not want to be bothered. And from the replies here she was right. She does though need a course on how to say no.

the Bitck

Steve

abmluce · January 11, 2007 10:12AM

Hi, I was a window clerk at a P.O. for 18 years. I have never heard of such a idiotic thing before.
I can see if you wanted to pay with pennies, but halves were never a problem where I worked.
Complain to the postmaster..... but in my day, most postmasters were a product of the peter principle

Russ · January 12, 2007 2:06AM

<< Complain to the postmaster..... but in my day, most postmasters were a product of the peter principle >>

According to the clerks at my post office, (a fabulous group BTW), they still are.

Russ, NCNE

nankraut · January 12, 2007 2:20AM

<< 

<< Complain to the postmaster..... but in my day, most postmasters were a product of the peter principle >>

According to the clerks at my post office, (a fabulous group BTW), they still are.

Russ, NCNE >>

Hey Russ, you covered your butt nicely there with the ()

planetsteve · January 12, 2007 2:48AM

How can anyone older than 30 not know that Ikes, Kennedys and $2 bills are legitimate? Kennedys circulated until the mid-80's, didn't they?

Coxe · January 12, 2007 2:58AM

Three of the window clerks at my post office are immigrants (Turkey, Korea, and the Phillipines) who may not have been here when Kennedy halves and Ikes were occasionally circulating. (I know all of them pretty well since I am there a minimum of three times a week picking up packages or mailing our registered.) I think the point of this thread isnot that a federal or quasi-federal agency of the US Gov't wouldn't accept US coins for payment as much as the fact that we are producing millions of coins annually that appear to not only have no commercial purpose but few are even aware of. That Best Buy $2 bill fiasco always gets me too.

Sorta OT Post office refuses service, no half dollars

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