Dollar bill should be dropped for coin

You may have seen them. They're a bit larger than a quarter, mostly golden or golden brown, though the older ones are silver. They're worth a dollar each because … they're dollar coins.

The United States has long had the tradition of using dollar coins. The first one was minted in 1794, and they have been minted, when needed, throughout our nation's history.

Currently, there are several designs that circulate, although most often you will receive a Sacagawea dollar or one of the new presidential dollars.

But will you receive them? Probably not. I admit, I spend them more than I spend dollar bills, but I rarely ever receive them as change. As a cashier, I give them out when I get them, but that's rare as well.

Why the big deal over dollar coins?

Well, they're better for the environment than bills. Most bills last an average of 21 months, whereas a coin lasts 30 years. Less paper is used to print them, and less energy is spent producing them. For this reason, an astounding amount of money would be saved. It costs four cents to print a dollar bill. It costs twenty cents for a coin. Factor in the life of a bill versus the life of a coin, and the money adds up.

From a loss prevention point of view, retailers should use them. They come in rolls of 25, and swiping a roll would be a lot harder than a bill. Plus, they're easier to count at the end of the day. All you have to do is plop the coin cup onto the counter and the machine weighs them. With dollar bills, you have to count them all.

You can use them in a vending machine. I do. Just drop it in the slot, and you don't have to worry about it getting rejected for being too wrinkly. And they're also good for buying coffee.

One final reason to use them: They're healthier. The dollar bill is paper, which means it's fibrous, and therefore can absorb germs, dirt and other things you really don't want to ingest. If you receive a dity dollar bill, you can exchange it, but the bill itself is still dirty. However, with a dollar coin, all you have to do to clean it is run it under some warm water. Add soap if desired.

Granted, you probably won't be seeing these in your change anytime soon unless you get a cashier who gets some and wants to get rid of them. Until the dollar bill is gotten rid of, they won't see much circulation. That's what Canada and the United Kingdom have both realized. They've gone coin only for their one-unit currency.

So the next time you get a dollar coin in change, smile. You're saving your country money, you're saving the environment and you're reducing the chance of getting sick. That's a good combination, no?