Nightwing Posted December 28, 2008 Report Share Posted December 28, 2008 Article from here: http://www.coinnews.net/2008/12/22/dollar-...it-system-4632/ $1 coins may now be used throughout the Washington Metro Transit System, the United States Mint and Washington Metro Area Transit Authority jointly announced today. All modern $1 coins — from Presidential Dollars, to Sacagawea Golden Dollars, to the upcoming Native American $1 Coins — are now accepted and can be dispensed in Metro farecard vending machines. Promoting the awareness and use of dollar coins is part of the Mint’s initiative to convince the public that coins are better, and cheaper to use than paper bills in every day transactions. "We are excited about collaborating with Metro to increase circulation of $1 coins," Director Moy said. "Once the public realizes the benefits of using $1 coins, we are confident they will be motivated to use them more often." According to the Mint, coins last 30 to 40 years and are reusable. It now says about one percent of old coins are recycled annually, which accounts for some 16 million in new coins every year. On the other hand, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP), which prints U.S. currency, says the life span of the average dollar bill is just 21 months. Adding the Metro to the Mint’s list of active $1 coin supporters is a solid bonus, should consumers begin using them. The Metro operates the second largest subway system and the fifth largest bus network in the country. It has more than 900 farecard vending machines in 86 Metrorail stations in suburban Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Getting $1 coins integrated into the Metro system for the holiday season and before the upcoming presidential inauguration on January 20 is another boon. However, whether the public in the Washington metro area will use $1 coins for other purposes is the big question. To date, the convenience of paper bills has greatly eclipsed most everyone’s inclination to spend or willingly receive heavier dollar coins. So maybe a few of these things will get used yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 I wonder what took them so bloody long? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 It's encouraging. I expect that the pass machines will give change in dollar coins. Too bad they don't put in express turnstiles where a dollar coin is all you need for the fare. Drop it in and go. No lines. etc. Ditto for the buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted December 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 For some reason I thought all transit systems used the $1 coins, I guess that may only be the larger systems like New York and Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 The Toronto transit system switched from aluminum to brass tokens to deter counterfeiters. Oops, someone forgot that brass weighs more than aluminum: TTC Transit Site Sags Under Weight of Tokens UPI ONTARIO - New, heavier public transit tokens are helping to reduce fraud, but are threatening to collapse the Toronto Transit Commission's counting office. The 22-year-old building where fares are separated and counted has required engineers to shore up the basement and enforce floors to deal with tons of additional weight triggered by the switch to the tokens two years ago, the Toronto Sun reported. As counterfeiters were having a field day with printing fake tickets and stamping out cheap aluminum tokens, the agency did away with paper tickets and simple tokens and introduced the heavier two-metal tokens. Two years ago, all fares weighed about seven tons. Now, with the heavier tokens and increased coin cash fares, the floor load is about 70 tons, the report said. TTC spokesman Brad Ross told the newspaper the building in no danger of collapse and ongoing work to shore it up should cost less than $1 million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabbs Posted December 29, 2008 Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Too bad they don't put in express turnstiles where a dollar coin is all you need for the fare. Drop it in and go. Fine, except a $1 coin would not help with that. Fares are between $1.65 and $4.50 ... Getting dollar coins back in change is fine though. Such subway tokens I have never used. Since I don't the subway/metro here regularly, I just use my phone to buy a ticket. Works fine as long as you don't forget to keep your battery charged. Christian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted December 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2008 Fine, except a $1 coin would not help with that. Fares are between $1.65 and $4.50 ... Getting dollar coins back in change is fine though.Christian Bring back the half dollar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Bring back the half dollar! Yes! Yes! Yes! I remember when half dollars were normal parts of change and were used quite frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted December 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Related article found here by By Maggie Stigsell: http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Articl...;ArticleId=5978 Dollar Coins Hit Washington Transit System By Maggie Stigsell, Market Update December 29, 2008 The U.S. Mint has teamed up with Metro's Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to boost the use of dollar coins. Mint Director Ed Moy and Carol Kissal, chief financial officer of the transit authority, announced Dec. 22 a new initiative that will place thousands of dollar coins in farecard vending machines. The machines now accept and dispense dollar coins. They will be stocked with Presidential dollars, Sacagawea dollars and the new Native American dollars, scheduled for release in January. "Previously, Metro farecard vending machines only dispensed quarters and nickels," said Kissal. "Now Metro riders have the convenience of carrying less change." The Mint and Metro believe that dispensing dollar coins as change will help to increase the awareness of and promote widespread use of the coins. The initiative was timed to coincide with the holiday season and upcoming inaugural events. "We are excited about collaborating with Metro to increase circulation of $1 coins," said Moy. "Once the public realizes the benefits of using $1 coins, we are confident they will be motivated to use them more often." Metro operates the second largest subway system and the fifth largest bus network in the country, according to the Mint. Metro has more than 900 farecard vending machines in 86 Metrorail stations in suburban Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, it says. So the argument for the $1 coins here is one would actually be carrying less change, because the machines would only distribute quarters and nickels in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Sounds like a good argument to me. It's been a long time since I lived in the DC area and I don't remember that much about the Metro - trains. I used to take them to the airport and downtown to play tourist and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 Yes! Yes! Yes! I remember when half dollars were normal parts of change and were used quite frequently. I didn't know they had half dollars in the early 1800s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted December 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 I didn't know they had half dollars in the early 1800s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 I didn't know they had half dollars in the early 1800s I can still remember back in 1806 taking a half dollar out of the old oaken bucket and heading into town to buy a new house. Times sure were different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willieboyd2 Posted December 30, 2008 Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 So it took the DC transit system 29 years to accept the 1979 Susan Anthony dollar coins (and their same size successors). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted December 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2008 So it took the DC transit system 29 years to accept the 1979 Susan Anthony dollar coins(and their same size successors). So in a way, this is the dawn of a new age! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightwing Posted January 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2009 Here's a new video with the director of the US Mint making a public announcement on site in Washington. http://www.coinnews.net/2008/12/31/video-u...in-launch-4651/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ætheling Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Right, bearing in mind i've been missing for a long time, things may (or may not) have changed. How are the Presidential dollar coins going down? Are dollar coins a more viable option in the States now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 They are still a viable option just no one uses them. I'd have to go to a bank or a parking deck to get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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