The dollar coin option is important poll

[mjwalsh]

http://www.clicker.com/tv/nightly-news/man-behind-1-coin-initiative-says-coins-waste-money-1971413/

The purpose of this poll is to present that we are sensible enough to know that dollar coins is a wise option to have in the Self Service Car Wash Industry. We also know there are other public services that will benefit from a firming up of the availability of the dollar coin. Dollar coin acceptors are here despite the impediment of the "quarter look alike Susan B Anthony" problem & lack of straightforward access to the gold dollars from banks like we have for other coins --- that was the real cause of the less usage. The dollar coin acceptors were delayed or somewhat discontinued because of the uncertainty of the supply of dollar coins & now some leaders want to aggravate the problem even worse. The dollar coin acceptors do help the public who use our car wash facilities & the feasibility of our participation in the economy in general.

I know that many of you have or plan on a credit card option & I would hope that most of you have enough sense to realize that both are of value & to eliminate the option of Dollar Coins completely would be not a good idea.

Note also his inference about cash in general.

MJ

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Mike, maybe you should go back and reword your choices. Is the first choice asking whether we think we should offer them or not? I don't understand what the second one has to do with the first. To me, it's like "Do you like Fords or baloney"??? I don't understand what offering CC has to do with quarters and dollars either.

I dispense the golden dollars and love how well they work in a car wash. I couldn't care less what the politicians do with them. We will have a supply of them long after we need them. By the time that the current supply is depleted the SS car wash start-up price will probably be in the 5 buck range. Heck, were still getting SBAs decades after they were discontinued (yeah, I know they made another batch in 99). I think we don't need to worry what they do with it. They've already proven that they can hammer out some more if ever needed.

On a side note, I bet PC is just gobbling this right up

 

[mjwalsh]

Mike, maybe you should go back and reword your choices. Is the first choice asking whether we think we should offer them or not? I don't understand what the second one has to do with the first. To me, it's like "Do you like Fords or baloney"??? I don't understand what offering CC has to do with quarters and dollars either.

I dispense the golden dollars and love how well they work in a car wash. I couldn't care less what the politicians do with them. We will have a supply of them long after we need them. By the time that the current supply is depleted the SS car wash start-up price will probably be in the 5 buck range. Heck, were still getting SBAs decades after they were discontinued (yeah, I know they made another batch in 99). I think we don't need to worry what they do with it. They've already proven that they can hammer out some more if ever needed.

On a side note, I bet PC is just gobbling this right up

Pat,

If you listen to the argument by the former congressman about "in theory the dollar coins work" but they are not accepted by the general public which goes back to Pat Crowes thrust ---- then the poll should make sense. In my defense anyone contemplating choosing should listen to the NBC nightly interview on the link --- then hopefully ---I am not way off on my wording in that context.

Also we tend to have all options & I would hope that most of you with credit cards would not want set the stage for difficulty in getting the "Gold" Dollar coins. The call was to immediately discontinue the dollar coins to save money ---- whether they would bring them back when shortages start occurring again in certain parts of the country --- could be an issue!

Mike

 

[mjwalsh]

Make it clear: We are in favor of the dollar coins to keep flowing

Keep in mind this is not a poll of coin vs card or RFID or the futuristic cell phone triggers that we have bandied about. The poll is focused on what was said in the interview on the NBC Nightly News very recently about eliminating the dollar coins completely. Nothing in this poll is saying that the credit card option is not also good. We need both --- the public is better served with both options.

I am having trouble with car washers & vendors who would want to eliminate one of the proven viable ways to accept the money that we need. Especially dollar coins since that helps by way of inflation & potential inflation. I can't believe that the small amount of seed money that they would save by eliminating the dollar coin would not multiply into a much greater loss to the general economy & tax revenue overall!

We know that the part in the interview that said Americans dislike the dollar coins does not apply in our experience & at our type of facility since we changed over to accept both dollar coins & quarters on almost all of our equipment. We actually have car wash customrs asking us for rolls of them because they see they are actually better than bills that get damp even in the billfolds during a hot summer. So at least we can set the record straight when these inaccuracies are stated. Of course if we did not make the dollar coins very available & straightforward to get then --- obviously the dollar coins would be less popular. It would be like shooting ourselves in the foot.

A good enough sampling of reponsed from a poll like this could help offset the decision makers who are hell bent in getting rid of "in their eyes" bad-bad-bad dollar coins.

MJ

 

[txheat]

Dollar coins are usefull in my situations like tolls lol. Personally in our area dollar coins are rarely used. We retired from retail industry. At our location we have bill acceptors and conventional quarters, no credit cards at SS only IBA. Personally i rather count bills than coins... quarters are already a pain to count .

 

[Earl Weiss]

I second the idea of bills over coins. I would rather carry four $1 bills than four $1 coins or $1000 in bills over coins. Have gone to bill acceptors and luv not only the 1s but 5s and tens which you don't get with dollar coins.

Anyone here offering $1 coins and bill acceptors? What's the usage breakdown?

 

[washme1]

The primary reason for the public's failure to accept dollar coins is poor planning by our federal officials. By not eliminating $1 currency, our congressmen guaranteed the failure of the coins. For years, the late Ted (the swimmer) Kennedy protected the company in his state of Massachusetts who manufactures the paper used to print US currency. I assume that John Kerry (who served in Vietnam) has picked up that mantle. I can tell you that for most of the twenty years that I operated a vending company, we lobbied congress to eliminate the $1 currency because the life expectancy of a one dollar bill is approximately 18 months.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

The funny thing about all of this is that they can still pacify everyone if they just stop printing the "one". Nothing else would need to be done. We already have the useless "two" that would then replace the "one" and pacify those that just have to have the "greenback" in their wallet. There would also be no need to carry four dollar coins around. With the 2 widely circulated no one should need to carry over one dollar coin.

 

[mjwalsh]

The funny thing about all of this is that they can still pacify everyone if they just stop printing the "one". Nothing else would need to be done. We already have the useless "two" that would then replace the "one" and pacify those that just have to have the "greenback" in their wallet. There would also be no need to carry four dollar coins around. With the 2 widely circulated no one should need to carry over one dollar coin.

Pat of Kentucky,

That is a great idea that our decision makers should listen too. Just think of the huge gains in credibility that the individuals in Congress will have by following your lead!

I can relate because I have the $3 version of the paper certificates that Jim Gosnell of North Carolina set me up with but have not really presented to my customers on any scale as of yet. I believe Earl Weiss (our sometimes reluctant legal advocate) of Chicago can relate also because he also has gone the route of paper certificates on behalf of his family business!

Hopefully Bill P will be OK with us sharing this link with our Washington Decisions Makers to show them we definitely do not want to have any part of the country struggling with a disportionate amount of time & effort to get the dollar coins.

The thought of letting certain individuals do the following is certainly not justice: First they make the more distinguishable gold dollar coins mixed up with over 90% quarter look alike Susan Bs & slugs, then they both encouraged & allowed certain banks to charge for the coinage & then now they say "People don't like the dollar coins in their city slicker way" ---- Gee I wonder why????

Abraham Lincoln the greatest president ever who was from Illinois said "You can fool some of the people some of the time & all the people some of the time --- but you can't fool all of the people all of the time!!!! This words still hold true over one hundred & fifty years later.

Come on ---- keep the momentum going ---- regardless of whether we have given the credit card people a blank check or not --- we still should show our hopefully Honorable Decision Makers that the dollar coin distribution should be improved if anything. It does not have to cost the Fed'l government any more expenses in a tight budget situation --- it is a matter of better management & applying the same standard as the availability of the quarters instead of allowing immature fickle out of touch dollar coin haters run the Treasury & the US Mint!!!!

Since our long time advocate JJJ from Grand Rapids Michigan is deeply involved with the Tea Party --- it would be great for him to make sure that they are not the ones being reckless concerning the illusion of saving money by continuing this aggravating charade of possibly fewer & fewer gold dollar coins being available in a straightforward way.

Developers have always touted how their dollars multiply many times for the economy by having their presence in communities --- this applies even more so when it comes to a key needed coinage or currency --- in my honest opinion!!!

a totally meek & totally humbled mike walsh
kingkoin.com of North Dakota

 

[kentadel]

I accept quarters, ones, fives, tens and credit cards at my self service bays. Added Token notes for my auto also. I would not want to add a dollar coin. I wish I could do away with coins, period.

 

[mjwalsh]

I accept quarters, ones, fives, tens and credit cards at my self service bays. Added Token notes for my auto also. I would not want to add a dollar coin. I wish I could do away with coins, period.

kentadel,

Our experience is that especially if there is no significant extra cost to accepting dollar coins along with the quarters because we already have the coin mechs & the coin counter-sorter like Kevin Reilly in California has --- there is no reason not to accept the dollars. Now that we have had dollar coin acceptance in our bays for over a year now along with our Vacs the dollar coins have their advantages over bills. The hopper conversion was not that spendy on my 2 Standard Changers so --- at minimum I would think you & others would want to encourage the continuation of the dollar coins so you would have that option possibly in the future. When it comes time to turn the car wash over to someone else they may be the type of individual that prefers to accept dollar coins. So it really is a win win for everyone to have that option.

Some of us have been car washing much longer than others on the forum & have more experience ---- that could be a factor. I know I was a mudman (assistant to a bricklayer) for building the initial part of our car wash way back in 1968 & have been through many ups & downs with all facets including the coin acceptance in the bays.

1. For one thing it is quicker to plop them in than straighten & feed one dollar bills.

2. There is less maintenance (cleaning) on the coin mechs over the bill acceptors.

3. On a warm humid day --- bills tend to get soggy even if the customer tries to keep the bill from their wet hands.

4. Honestly, I can see why it is nicer when we wash down the bays in a hurry. The fact that a very sensible regular customer is asking for a roll of them as a preference specifically to wash his tow trucks speaks volumes in my opinion.

MJ

 

[Earl Weiss]

kentadel,

The hopper conversion was not that spendy on my 2 Standard Changers so --- at minimum I would think you & others would want to encourage the continuation of the dollar coins so you would have that option possibly in the future.
1. For one thing it is quicker to plop them in than straighten & feed one dollar bills.

2. There is less maintenance (cleaning) on the coin mechs over the bill acceptors.

3. On a warm humid day --- bills tend to get soggy even if the customer tries to keep the bill from their wet hands.

4. Honestly, I can see why it is nicer when we wash down the bays in a hurry. The fact that a very sensible regular customer is asking for a roll of them as a preference specifically to wash his tow trucks speaks volumes in my opinion.

MJ

Heck options are options. My preference would be no coins and no coin changers only bill brkaers and Bill acceptors. Downside would be vending would have to jump in $1.00 increments. So, dollar coins offer no advatage for this.

1. No an issue since I recyc;e qarters thru changers. Have a bill counter for the bills. works really fast. Have to seperate bill denominations but if i took quarters and dollar coins would bneed to seperate that too. No dollar coin advantage here.

2. Pretty much zero maintenance here with regards to coin and bill acceptors. No advantage for dollar coins.

3, Not an issue any more tan it would be for putting bills into dolar coin dispenser. - No advantage.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The funny thing about all of this is that they can still pacify everyone if they just stop printing the "one". Nothing else would need to be done. We already have the useless "two" that would then replace the "one" and pacify those that just have to have the "greenback" in their wallet. There would also be no need to carry four dollar coins around. With the 2 widely circulated no one should need to carry over one dollar coin.

I guess that's like saying no need to carry more than 4 pennies yet the darn things keep multiplying in my pocket, car, everywhere!

 

[Earl Weiss]

The primary reason for the public's failure to accept dollar coins is poor planning by our federal officials. By not eliminating $1 currency, our congressmen guaranteed the failure of the coins. For years, the late Ted (the swimmer) Kennedy protected the company in his state of Massachusetts who manufactures the paper used to print US currency. I assume that John Kerry (who served in Vietnam) has picked up that mantle. I can tell you that for most of the twenty years that I operated a vending company, we lobbied congress to eliminate the $1 currency because the life expectancy of a one dollar bill is approximately 18 months.

Maybe the reason is that a lot of people like me don't want more / heavier coins in their pocket. I get dollar coins all the time at the washes. I never carry them. They typicaly go right to the bank. I am sure some luv them but many don't.

Would the govt save $ by producing them instead of paper/ probably. But I would guesstimate the savings would be but a blip on the Fed spending list.

 

[Mr. Clean]

I've used dollars coins for ten years now. The Susan B's were a disaster for their similarity to the quarter. The gold color has helped to reduce confusion. My customers realize the convenience and time savings and most prefer them. They also give us the opportunity to accept the occasional $20..

Quarters are a waste of time and soon will be eliminated from our changers. Acceptors will continue to accept them if the customer brings them in.

Do credit cards increase sales beyond the cost of using them in SS?

The gov't has cost us significant dollars over the last decade with all the restyled currency that has been put into circulation. We need to make them aware, in no uncertain terms, of the hardship that has been inflicted upon us and stop any further manipulations.

I'm curious to hear what Canadian operators have experienced with coins. I remember visiting Arnprior years ago and finding a SS that took Loonies. By the next year they were also accepting Twonies.

MC

 

[pitzerwm]

Watch this, the dollar coint will the last thing that are worried about.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/SenRe/start/14756/stop/16376

 

[Earl Weiss]

.

Do credit cards increase sales beyond the cost of using them in SS?


MC

Ask any Gasoline retailer about CC Cost. Cost of use doesn't deter me, it's initial implementation cost and logistics of processing. No phone line to SS. Alarm runs underground to another building for phone dialer

 

[mac]

I heard a report just last week about the dollar coin. Turns out that practically nobody uses them. Our imperial government decided to do them in a presidential series, ie one for each pres. Well they now need a bigger warehouse to store all the unused coins. And they are not even halfway throught he series. They may work great in our industry but nobody else is clamoring for them.

 

[mjwalsh]

The Carpenter vs the Donkey

Remember --- the 2 minute weblink interview on my original post the national leader was calling for immediate discontinuation of the dollar coin --- not for correcting their overprojections of quantities being manufactured --- nor did he suggest improving the distribution by better communication & logistics with the banks. If anything the distribution should cost less for the dollar coins than all the other coins because of the equivalent dollar quantity is much lighter!!!!

I know when I left a tip in gold dollar coins for the waitress at Olive Gardens when we went out to eat on the 4th of July --- she definitely seemed more than happy to see them!

MJ --- Mike

 

[cantbreak80]

The "non-partisan" Government Accounting Office has recommended discontinuing production of the $1 note as a cost savings measure.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11281.pdf

Following their recommendation would likely moot the $1 coin argument presented by the former member of Congress