Much hoopla went into the introduction of the Sacajawea gold dollar coin. This coin had to meet certain requirements - namely it had to be the same size, shape and electrical conductivity as the previous SBA dollar coin, but look different. It is rare to get one of these coins. I suspect they are still too quarterlike.
A reasonable modificantion would be to pierce the coins. This would be a small hole, only 2-3 mm, just above Sac's head. The hole would be surrounded by a small raised edge. This would give them a distinctive feel in the pocket, retain the constraints on size/metal listed above, and avoid having to design and retool for a whole new coin. Plus they would make nifty charm bracelets or quipu.-- bungston, Nov 04 2003 Link for [RayfordSteele] http://www.straight...lassics/a5_022.htmlCecil Adams delivers the Straight Dope on the pyramid and all-seeing-eye. [Laughs Last, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] New Dollar Coins http://www.sfgate.c...coin&sn=001&sc=1000If you're quick you might be able to get them to integrate this idea. [stilgar, Nov 28 2006] <note to rest of world>This is a US idea. Don't be alarmed if you don't know what [bung]'s talking about.</ntrow>
<note to US residents>If you live in the US, don't be alarmed if you don't know what [bung]'s talking about. I myself don't recall coming across a Sacajawea coin and have only heard about them in lore.</ntusr>-- Worldgineer, Nov 04 2003 huh-huh ... you said Sac ... huh-huh
Yesterday we actually had a customer pay with one of these ... normally we don't like to take them because its more work on us making the bank deposit everyday ... however, there were car washes arround town that was ready to take them ... but at that time, I never had any on me ... I prefer the lightweight dollar myself, but then again, you can't make a necklace or quipu out of them without damaging the bills ... [+]-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 04 2003 [+] for anything that gets us closer to having usable coin currency in the US.-- sophocles, Nov 04 2003 I love currency with holes. Very convient. However drilling holes into already minted coins would be really labor intensive.
Also, as you point out the Sacagawea coin needed to confrom to the properties of the Suzanne B, one of which, the mass, would be completed altered by drilling a hole. Sac's are already easily identifed by the edge, which is not 'quarterlike' as the Suzane B. was.
They may not be widely circualted in your area, but in NY and Florida, just ask for a roll at the bank.-- xylene, Nov 04 2003 I would remind you that defacing coins is against the law (and yeah, I know the swap-meet jewelry people do it all the time).-- DrCurry, Nov 04 2003 Defacing coins in an attempt to change their value as currency is illegal. Defacing a coin as part of an artwork is perfectly fine, hence all the "Squash-a-penny" machines you can find at tourist traps and rest stops just about everywhere.-- Freefall, Nov 04 2003 I still use the dollar coin, mainly to piss off people. You get kinda weird looks around the bank when you say you want 10 dollars worth of the Sacagaweas-- dickity, Nov 04 2003 I never understood why the US has coins and bills worth the same denomination. If you're going to have $1 coins, why keep using bills?-- waugsqueke, Nov 04 2003 Because nobody likes the coins.-- Worldgineer, Nov 04 2003 What does that have to do with it? Do people particularly "like" the bills? It's not like they go around holding them out and admiring them.
If coins were all they had, they'd use 'em.-- waugsqueke, Nov 04 2003 Doesn't Mexico have coins and bills that are the same denomination?-- flamingcrackmonkey, Nov 04 2003 The greenback has considerable gravitas. That solemn george, that enigmatic pyramid - they are powerful symbols. Note that with all of the modifications to bills (bigger portaits, fancy pinkness), GW and his bill are untouched. It would be like making the flag plaid.
As regards making holes, how does that change weight? Unless a cylinder is punched out clean. I envision a hole pushed thru, with the displaced metal forming the raised hole rim.-- bungston, Nov 04 2003 Not to mention, you have to iron them to fit them uniformly into a wallet/g-string ... I'm sorry, but seeing a stripper with a coin-holder kind of defeats the purpose of me attending such an establishment *blech*-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 04 2003 You have that where you live, [UB]?!!!! ... "Terms subject to availability", I suppose ...-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 04 2003 Yeah, that gets me slapped where I'm from...-- Reverend_Cobol, Nov 04 2003 I envision garter belts / G-strings with multiple dangling (nonbarbed!) hook-clips. On waving your Pierced Sac, the lady would lean over, allowing you to hook the sac on her belt. A well tipped performer would garner a jingling gypsy-style costume!-- bungston, Nov 04 2003 Has anyone proposed wearing pierced credit cards on a string necklace...?-- DrCurry, Nov 04 2003 //:Why? That's 10 coins, less than most people need to do laundry.:// [Mr Burns] cause I don't go to the bank everyday to pickup some coins, so I'll just get about 10 and use them for a month. I'm a college student so I spend 1.25 on pop everyday-- dickity, Nov 04 2003 I could never quite figure out what that pyramid and eye was doing on the dollar bill. Mummies running the treasury?-- RayfordSteele, Nov 10 2003 [Waugs] US gots us-selves a brannew 20 bill-- FeelinPhine, Nov 10 2003 i'm english, and no one's piercing my "sac"-- ivanhoe, Nov 11 2003 Oh come on [ivan], everyone's doing it. You're either with us or against us on this - or are you for terrorism?-- Worldgineer, Nov 11 2003 // However drilling holes into already minted coins would be really labor intensive. //
Not to mention illegal in the UK. To drill a hole would mean to deface an image of Her Maj The Queen which is against the law... you've been warned ;)-- jonthegeologist, Nov 28 2006 //[+] for anything that gets us closer to having usable coin currency in the US//
I would [+] any idea that advocated decreasing the amount of coins in the UK so we could bring back the old one pound note and perhaps have a two pound note instead of our two pound coin.-- webfishrune, Nov 28 2006 //I could never quite figure out what that pyramid and eye was doing on the dollar bill.//
They are symbols of Freemasonry. Look it up.-- webfishrune, Nov 28 2006 //bring back the old one pound note// hear hear. One of my favourite things about being in the US is the dollar bill.-- stilgar, Nov 29 2006 //I never understood why the US has coins and bills worth the same denomination. If you're going to have $1 coins, why keep using bills?//
Bills are easier to pack in a wallet, hand to a stripper, fold into a paper "football," roll up for snorting cocaine, etc. Also they are lighter than most any coin.
Coins are easier to slip into a vending machine, fish out of a wishing well, roll into one of those fancy donation containers, flip as part of an arcade game, spin to impress your friends, throw at someone you're trying to annoy, etc.
Using two forms for one denomination allows cashiers to give their customers more change in the bill form, which consumers generally prefer, while allowing consumers to give their hard-earned money to inanimate, or mechanized objects in a more convenient fashion.
Since corporations run america, some want to give change to their customers in a conveient form so they will be more willing to spend large-denomination bills, and others want to take money from us without employing human vendors or advanced dollar bill readers to collect that cash.-- ye_river_xiv, Feb 16 2010 random, halfbakery