Argumentative Performance Task Essay: Is The Penny Really Worth It?

Unit 3: Argumentative Performance Task Essay Is the penny really worth it? For over two hundred years, the penny has been a part of the United States with many different alterations in its shapes and sizes, and has been of historical significance to the United States. With the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, on the top of the coin (as of now), it maintains its significance for quite awhile. Although some will argue that the production of pennies should be continued because, “a penny saved is a penny earned,” it really does no good at all. To make money costs money, and the penny is made for more than it costs itself, and the it’d be a reasonable way to round up prices in businesses. To start off with, the penny takes more money that it’s actual worth, which is one cent. In the article “Penny Wise, or 2.4 Cents Foolish?”, Jeff Sommer says, “The United State government.. lost $60.2 million on the production and distribution of pennies in the 2011 fiscal year..” (Sommer). Pennies are barely used, storaged into empty water bins, and yet the distribution of them is

From Ted Waterhouse’ article of “Give a Penny—Save the Day!” he gives the example of by coming together and adding pennies will get larger as they add up because their worth is overlooked upon. It holds an importance because it can bring the community all together to bring in the pennies they don’t necessarily want. Again, Jeff Sommer says, “Inflation is sometimes cited as a threat whenever small coins are phased out” (Sommer). Even if the prices increase or decrease (depending on how the prices would vary) would make it more difficult to pay for things, such as a cup of coffee. Instead of fishing into your wallet or purse to find that one (or two) more pennies because it’s the exact amount instead of it being rounded up or down isn’t practical. The discontinuing of the pennies would not affect how businesses would