The Big Debate Over The Tiny Penny
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How much is the American penny really worth? To some people a lot - to others it's a worthless piece of coin that should be abolished, especially given that it costs the U.S. Mint almost two-pennies to make one. Yet year after year, they keep producing the shiny little coins - welcome to the penny debate.
The anti-penny campaigners believe that the time we spend dealing with them (sorting & counting them), could be better spent doing something more productive. In fact one anti-penny crusader has even calculated the amount of time each one of us spends on pennies - 2.5 hours a year!
However, there are many people who feel as strongly about keeping the penny, arguing that if everything is rounded off the nearest nickel, the cost of things would go up substantially. Moreover they argue, that people find it easier to part with pennies for charities than they would with their nickels. Also, there is the fact that everyone's favorite President is on there. In fact they feel so strongly about it that they even have a website called 'Americans for Cents' (www.pennies.org), which talks about how important the penny is to our daily lives and well being.
The debate on the penny is not new - it has been going on for at least the last five years. However, with U.S. mint (where money is made) redesigning the back of the penny to mark the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birthday and the 100th Anniversary of the Lincoln penny itself, we get the feeling the penny is not about to disappear any time soon - so remember the next time you see a penny lying on the ground - don't just ignore it - for it's worth much more than ..............just a penny!
What do you think - should we keep the penny or abolish it? Make sure you add your thoughts below!
Sources:cbsnews.com, Americans for comman cents
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246 Comments
- boxingglovesabout 5 yearsKEEP THE PENNY 😢😭
- aleeyahabout 5 yearssome people argue but they should let the person that is right help them to give pinnies and save them for oher people need help.If I were them I would save pinnies for people who need help.When I walk in stores I see jars with pinnies,nickles,dimes,quarters and dollar billes,its people who care.Some people just don't have the money,but they care for them very much.Some people walk by around just don't care.Think about that,think about how the would feel.Think about how other people feel and when you hand it down look at that big joyful smile on those face.There are millions of people out there,so do what you 💔 heart said.If their hearts are broken you think and yup fix tht whole situation,im persuading you. B y:Aleeyah Robinson
- Aleeyahabout 5 yearswhen I see pinnies on the ground sometimes I pick it up to make more money.Sometimes I ignore it but I shouldn't ignore it,I should pick it up so next time I will go adifferent pick it up.Lots of people leave pinnies in a garage and give them to a charity for disabilities or health care for other people.That would be a big good help. Aleeyah Robinson
- boioiabout 5 yearsI say let the penny stay. boo ho
- Cadenabout 5 yearsI love penny
- hiabout 5 yearsMany peopel think the penny is useless, but they forget that it's actually worth more than you think. Without the penny things in stores would be much more expensive, and charitites wouldn't be as popular. Becuase be honest in a penny drive, you wouldn't put a nickel. And if we stop minting the penny, more nickles would have to be minted (about 10 cents per coin) and the government would actually save money from the penny sticking around.
- hiabout 5 yearskeep the penny
- Horseyabout 5 yearskeep the penny! To many people have pennies it will be almost impossible to get rid of all of them
- OMGabout 5 yearshi i think we soould keep the penny
- HAIabout 5 yearsKEEP THE PENNY!!!!!
