A Penny and a Half for Your Thoughts

It currently costs about 1.5 cents to produce a penny and 8.2 cents to produce a nickel. I know what you're thinking, but don't try it. They just passed a law this year to make it illegal to melt coins to sell the raw materials.

I'm not sure exactly how this is related but my 15-year-old son just turned down my offer of 10% of the proceeds to roll up the family penny collection and take them to the bank. He's holding out for 20% of the total. Says he's content to continue playing non-stop videogames in his bedroom if I don't meet his price.

Meanwhile, I'll leave you with this question. If you're on your way into the supermarket and you see a penny on the pavement, do you stop to pick it up? I'm saying probably not. Nickel maybe. Dime almost for sure. Quarter definitely.

Getting close to the time when we say goodbye to the penny. I was thinking we bump Abe up to the quarter but, as my blog-pal Toby points out, he's already got the $5 bill. Those ought to be around awhile still...