Henry Rifle Forums

All penny's are old now. They may not make them anymore, but they're not going away anytime soon.

Long live the penny.

Loafers... candy... arcade ... thoughts ... from heaven ... pinched ... earned ... saved ... wise ... lane ...

I keep change in the cup holder in the work truck I use. When I was looking for exact change for my McDonald's coffee, I saw that there were very few pennies in the holder. Lots of quarters, dimes and nickels.
I don't carry change in my pockets as I don't pay for much in cash anymore. Change goes into a container at home, if I have any.
I have long considered the penny useless except for exact change. Dollar coins might have come and gone, mostly unnoticed. I'll bet dimes and nickels will go next.

Cash in general is on the way out. More and more businesses are cashless.

I can remember back when some stores had signs saying cash only.

Funny thing, the card scanner was down in a store a couple weeks ago. Catastrophic. The poor cashier actually had to take cash and count change. Luckily I had my "Emergency Money" tucked behind my Driver's Licence. More than one person turned and walked out. No cash. There are times I'm not carrying any. What will muggers do?

BrokenolMarine wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 16, 2025 9:08 am

Funny thing, the card scanner was down in a store a couple weeks ago. Catastrophic. The poor cashier actually had to take cash and count change. Luckily I had my "Emergency Money" tucked behind my Driver's Licence. More than one person turned and walked out. No cash. There are times I'm not carrying any. What will muggers do?

Escort you to the nearest ATM and politely ask for your plastic and pin.

daytime dave wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 16, 2025 8:37 am

I keep change in the cup holder in the work truck I use. When I was looking for exact change for my McDonald's coffee, I saw that there were very few pennies in the holder. Lots of quarters, dimes and nickels.
I don't carry change in my pockets as I don't pay for much in cash anymore. Change goes into a container at home, if I have any.
I have long considered the penny useless except for exact change. Dollar coins might have come and gone, mostly unnoticed. I'll bet dimes and nickels will go next.

I seen a news report that it cost 13 1/2 cents to make a nickel. So, I second your prediction.

AI overview:
It costs the U.S. Mint approximately $0.1378 (nearly 14 cents) to make a nickel, which is significantly more than its face value of five cents. This cost has been on the rise due to the increasing price of metals like copper and nickel, which are key components of the coin's composition.
[*]Production cost: The cost to produce a single nickel is about $0.1378, or just under 14 cents.
[*]Components: The high cost is driven by the price of its materials, which are 75% copper and 25% nickel.
[*]Trend: The cost of making both pennies and nickels has been higher than their face value for 19 consecutive years.

GunnyGene wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 16, 2025 11:06 am

BrokenolMarine wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 16, 2025 9:08 am

Funny thing, the card scanner was down in a store a couple weeks ago. Catastrophic. The poor cashier actually had to take cash and count change. Luckily I had my "Emergency Money" tucked behind my Driver's Licence. More than one person turned and walked out. No cash. There are times I'm not carrying any. What will muggers do?

Escort you to the nearest ATM and politely ask for your plastic and pin.

Not likely to work with a lot of Marines.
Or simply Old Peeps who just don't care.
I saw a story where two young punks tried to rob a Marine Vet in the bathroom at a Subway. The cops found them in the bathroom at the subway while the old Marine was finishing his sub at his table. (Might have been Jack?)

I have experienced more than one eating establishment in my area that gives a discount for cash. This in a major population center in Florida, Pinellas County. I always have the cash and get the reduced price.

I have a 1798 half cent. The half cent was one of the first coins minted by the US. It's a little worse for the wear of spending nearly 200 years on the bottom of the Cooper River.

I Always carry cash and love places that say cash only.
Then main thing I like about the card is buying gas, so I Don't have to walk into the store if I don't have to.
And Hate the thought of a complete cashless society.

RP

Lots of places down on the gulf charge extra for using your card. Having the credit card convenience is costing those business quite a bit of money.

So now you got me to thinking of all the old coins I have. Here are a few.
This is the only Flying Eagle penny, I have but it's pretty old.
This one starts with an old penny that has been defaced so it's worthless, and then then we
go right to a three cent piece, shield nickel, several liberty type dimes and at the bottom
an Eisenhour silver dollar and a flowing hair one ounce silver round.

I have a two cent piece and a half dime but I think they're at the bank safety deposit box.
My more valuable pieces along with my gold are all there for safe keeping.
I've been collecting here and there all my life. I have scores of Indian Heads.

Vaquero wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 17, 2025 9:03 am

I Always carry cash and love places that say cash only.
Then main thing I like about the card is buying gas, so I Don't have to walk into the store if I don't have to.
And Hate the thought of a complete cashless society.

RP

Gas: They used to sell just gas, oil and related stuff. Maybe a coke machine or a cooler with a de-capper on the side. An attendant would come out, pump your gas, check the oil, and clean the windshield for 27cents/gal (cash only, or maybe one of those old manual credit card machines ) and you never had to get out of your car. Progress is great. You get to pump your own gas, clean your own windows, check your own oil, etc. for upwards of $3 per gallon.

What's wrong with this picture?


Back When.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPGvKwg ... rt_radio=1

Gene, I remember those days well, Sir.

RP

I remember my dad taking my brother and I down to the beach, early in the morning on weekends during spring break. My brother and I would comb the beach for soda bottles and bring them to the car while dad slowly drove down the beach. They could be returned for 2 cents each. Our dad would give us each a portion of the take.

If memory serves me my first few lawn mowing jobs paid about 75 cents for a decent sized lawn.

I also remember those days, but I also remember when gas was 30¢ a gallon minimum wage was around $1.50 a hour.

Oregon just started allowing self service pumping a couple of years ago and it seems it's still not allowed in NJ.