On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 20:36:53 -0500, "Bruce Remick"
wrote:

I wonder how many merchants would cringe at the prospect of now having to
recognize a bogus $200 or $500 note?

Probably the same number that cringe at the prospect of having to
recognise bogus $100, $50 and $20 less the number of merchants that
tack up signs saying "NO BILLS OVER $10".

Or $2 coins to go with the $1 coins
they already find inconvenient?

This is what a wide survey will show. There are people in this NG -
including actual merchants - that find dollar coins quite convenient.
As I said, this NG is a small community. Any serious proposal to pull
a Canada will have to do some actual research on all people that
handle cash.

How many people would prefer to carry this
much money in cash and in such large denominations?

It doesn't really matter much. Some people will - most people won't.
The option of having a $500 note would be a Good Thing. In the way
having the option of using a C note is a Good Thing.

And I could count the
time it takes a teller to straighten out a stack of bills before putting
them in a counter in three seconds.

Sure. I've watched em straighten those notes out. Takes a little more
than three seconds! The trouble is worse for vending and fare machine
folks.

When you've got a well worded proposal, you might consider peddling it
to other bank managers in your area, and perhaps get the thoughts of
area merchants as well. They deal with money too! They'd probably like
to get rid of pennies, and might not be adverse to being rid of dollar
notes as well. Could also ask transportation firms (taxi companies,
public and private bus operators, etc).

I suppose, for their convenience, the banks would probably like to get rid
of ALL coins for that matter.

Could be. They'd probably like to get rid cash entirely, close the
teller windows and stick to what actually makes them money: LENDING.
Every teller that sits around the bank is a DRAIN on the bank's bottom
line.

But it's still the people who spend them and
decide which denominations they prefer.

Quite. And when choice isn't there, we can't know what is "prefered".

And as long as merchants have to
provide the correct change to their customers, they'll stock the coins they
need to do so. But somehow I just can't picture Congress deciding to
eliminate certain coins or bills based on a survey of bus operators.

.... and BANKS and MERCHANTS and VOTERS. You missed a couple there.
You'd be amazed what kind of crapola Congress will pass if it gets em
the votes.

The "common spender" has the final word on what coins or bills he uses,

Not exactly true.

but no
pro or con advocates seem to care about polling him-- maybe because they
know what the answers will be.

Um. HELLO? I just proposed a broad based survey to research this
issue! I specified those segments that handle cash regularly and in
great quantity; but have also suggested including the "common spender"
in the past.

Actually I would have no problem seeing the cent eliminated, rounding final
purchase prices to the nickel, and even eliminating the dollar bill and
adding a $2 coin. I just can't see it happening all at once or even
piecemeal, without some phenominal impetus that none of us has thought of
yet.

Perhaps Canada can invade again? "Phenomenal impetus" probably is not
required. A lot of support surely is. The lesson is this: no one
outside this NG gives a damn one way or the other. Even within this
NG, there are a lot of us that don't really care all that much. While
I would _prefer_ not having to deal with pennies and dollar notes; I
don't really care one way or the other whether we actually go that
route or stay where we are. As for $200 and $500 - as I said, they'd
be nice; but I don't really care all that much whether or not we ever
get them (again).

Padraic.

la cieurgeourea provoer mal trasfu
ast meiyoer ke 'l andrext ben trasfu.