Metro Wants You to Use $1 Coins, Turn European
Arizona Coin Collector
FROM:
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Metro-Wants-You-to-Use-1-Coins-Become-European.html
Metro Wants You to Use $1 Coins, Turn European
Berets, silly accents optional
Updated 6:30 PM EST, Mon, Dec 22, 2008
In the latest attempt to get Americans to give up
their paper $1 bills in exchange for $1 coins,
Metro is offering the use of the scoffed-at
coinage in farecard vending machines.
Could mandatory berets and silly accents be next?
For years Americans have rejected the idea of $1
coins replacing paper bills and adapting to a more
European way of life. Metro and the U.S. Mint hope
they can change that one rider at a time.
"We are excited about collaborating with Metro to
increase circulation of $1 coins," said U.S. Mint
Director Ed Moy. "Once the public realizes the
benefits of using $1 coins, we are confident they
will be motivated to use them more often."
In the past, Metro farecard machines would only
dispense quarters and nickels, meaning anyone
who got more than a couple bucks back in change
would end up weighing several pounds more by the
time they stuffed all that coinage in their
pockets. But no more, says Metro Chief Financial
Officer Carol Kissal.
"Now Metro riders have the convenience of carrying
less change," she said.
Another reason for the change: The Mint says
dollar coins are durable and "can save the nation
billions of dollars," since a coin will last 30 to
40 years. That's longer than the average lifespan
of a $1 bill.
Each farecard machine will be stocked with
Presidential $1 coins, Sacagawea golden dollar
coins and the new Native American $1 coins,
scheduled for release in January 2009.
Of course, the new feature may have started off a
bit rough last week, according to Sally Schwob, who
sent several e-mails describing her first encounter
with the new $1 coins.
"I had to use the Silver Spring Metro on Thursday
12/18/08. I had a $5 bill for the farecard machine
and only needed a $4 fare card. It gave me 4 coins
in change -- they looked odd but I put them in my
purse and forgot all about it. Friday afternoon,
I looked at the coins -- SOMEONE at metro had put
$1 gold coins in the quarter change slot! WOW! I
called Metro's main office Friday about 4:50 p.m.
After explaining the situation, she put me through
to a Red Line "customer service." No one answered
so I left a message, "You are losing money, yada
yada yada."
Sally said she eventually called the Metro Transit
Police, who said they were sending the "coin
machine people" out that night.
"Let's say all 8-9 machines got loaded with $1
coins instead of quarters," she said. "Let's say
they each hold $100 worth of quarters but now have
$1 coins? Wow."
...