Essay Abolish The Penny

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“It takes nearly a dime today to buy what a penny bought back in 1950. Despite this, the U.S. Mint keeps churning out a billion pennies a month” (Safire, 2006). The U.S. Mint continues to make a coin that is costing them more to make than it is worth. Although people may be attached to the history of having a penny as part of the monetary system, it is more important to keep up with relevant costs. Even though the penny is a historical representation of our country, it would save time and money if eliminated from the U.S. monetary system. By omitting the penny, less money would be spent by the government. The U.S. Mint would no longer need to make the coin which would save materials, time, and money. In the article, “Abolish the Penny,” William Safire tells us, “There is no escaping economic history: it takes nearly a dime today to buy what a penny bought back in 1950. Despite this, the U.S. Mint keeps churning out a billion pennies a month.” Ultimately, if the production of pennies would stop, it would end up reducing costs for the American people. When you look at a detailed analysis, each person would save approximately sixty dollars per year by getting rid of the penny. In …show more content…

Pennies used to be useful with a higher worth and purpose, but in the modern world, their value has decreased. William Safire explains in the article, “Abolish the Penny,” how, “Quarters and dimes circulate; pennies disappear because they are literally more trouble than they are worth.” A person can no longer pay with pennies in vending machines or gum ball dispensers, they must use coins that are valued at larger amounts. The pennies end up in random pockets or drawers and are forgotten about since they have hardly any use. People may not realize it, but there are wasted seconds everyday due to people searching for pennies. Once again, in the article, “Penny Pinchers,” Ric Kahn

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