Reviving the half-dime? Good idea?

rec78 · October 8, 2008 2:31AM

I saw a story in coin world that a bill was introduced to revive the half-dime as a denomination and get rid of the nickel as the nickel is too expensive to produce. This may be a good idea as far as production costs but is it practical? I thnk the coin may be too small and not accepted. What is your opinion on re-issuing the half-dime? Thanks,

Bob

pmac · October 8, 2008 2:41AM

I just saw this in NumismaticNews. Much to the chagrin of nickle collectors, this seems to be an obvious decision of lawmakers who think that the production costs of coins should be less than the face value. They might end up as the end item of coinage if the useless one cent coin is discontinued.

LanLord · October 8, 2008 2:42AM

<< I just saw this in NumismaticNews. Much to the chagrin of nickle collectors, this seems to be an obvious decision of lawmakers who think that the production costs of coins should be less than the face value. They might end up as the end item of coinage if the useless one cent coin is discontinued. >>

no one collects nickles. there are nickel collectors though

fc · October 8, 2008 2:49AM

many americans are too dumb to calculate what a half dime
is worth including congress in their drunken stupor while they blow
money on a scale they do not even understand or comprehend.

cladking · October 8, 2008 2:56AM

A half dime is fine but making it of cu/ ni clad is a very
poor idea when Americans are older than ever. Older
people have difficulty handling extremely small objects
so why make a coin so small?

Make the half dime of aluminum exactly the size of the
current nickel.

ziggy29 · October 8, 2008 2:57AM

Trying to introduce or re-introduce something new on the people -- dollar coins, $2 bill, et cetera -- has been a dismal flop almost every time it has been tried. Maybe with nickels out of circulation it could work, but I think the general consensus will be that people hate them because they're too small.

adamlaneus · October 8, 2008 3:01AM

Decimate the currency already. No cents. No nickels.

Someday, I want to see the 'golden dollar' as our new "large cent".

We are just two decimations away from that...

cladking · October 8, 2008 3:40AM

<< Decimate the currency already. No cents. No nickels.

Someday, I want to see the 'golden dollar' as our new "large cent".

We are just two decimations away from that... >>

You can't make change without five cent coins.

Cladiator · October 8, 2008 3:43AM

Hell yes it's a good idea! Bias? Me? Nooooo?

ziggy29 · October 8, 2008 3:44AM

<< You can't make change without five cent coins. >>

You could if you replaced the quarter with a 20-cent piece.

doh · October 8, 2008 4:13AM

It would look too much like a dime and never work.

rjsriv · October 8, 2008 4:20AM

too damn small--IMHO

cladking · October 8, 2008 4:25AM

<< 

<< You can't make change without five cent coins. >>

You could if you replaced the quarter with a 20-cent piece. >>

It would be at the expense of melting and demonetizing 35,000,000,000 quarters.

It would be great for me but bad for the country and a very expensive way of man-
aging a relatively small problem.

Of course politicians throw around $9,000,000,000 like it's chump change.

adamlaneus · October 8, 2008 4:30AM

<< 

<< Decimate the currency already. No cents. No nickels.

Someday, I want to see the 'golden dollar' as our new "large cent".

We are just two decimations away from that... >>

You can't make change without five cent coins. >>

Sure you can. It's a tired old argument.

Did we suddenly lose the ability to make change when the half cent disappeared?

There was a point in time when the lowest denomination represented about 1/200th of your typical daily wage.

Now, the lowest denomination represents somewhere around 1/20000th of your daily wage, if that.

The great whine that may occur when cents and nickels are gone is just that...a big worthless noise. I understand it is politically untenable. But I do not believe for one moment that it is an economic disaster if cents and nickels were gone and that currency purchases were rounded to the nearest dime. I do believe it would become an instant scapegoat issue that would destroy the political career of any proponent.

If one is going to claim bankruptcy on the basis of not being able to pay 5 cents. Then go bankrupt already. Geez!

I thank the board in advance for being a sponge for my personal intolerance. I need this.

BBN · October 8, 2008 4:44AM

I personally agree that removing one decimal would make the most sense. Then you could have a copper/nickel(silver color) dime(size of current nickel)..., copper half dollar(make it quarter size) and eliminate the paper dollar. Then we only have three types of coins, would eliminate small coins which would be convenient for the elderly and with each being a different color(silver dime, copper half, golden dollar) it would be very difficult to get them confused. Europeans got used to an all new system 8-9 years ago, I don't know why we couldn't

There's about only one thing I see that's of any use of the 1/100 decimal. So that stores can sell you something for $4.99 instead of $5 and you think you're getting a deal because it starts with a "4" instead of a "5".

Reviving the half-dime? Good idea?

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