"Legal Tender"

Hi Folks,

I recently got a bunch of Kennedy halves from my bank, picking through them
to put together a circulated set of Kennedys. Rather than taking them back
to the bank when I was finished looking through them, I decided to spend
them here and there around the community. (My thinking was "When was the
last time you received a half dollar in change?") For me, it's probably been
20 years or more.

Consequently, I've now spent about $200 worth of them. It's been fun seeing
the reaction of people when I pay for something with a fist full of them. I
paid for a $28 Money Order at the post office last week with halves. But
imagine my surprise when I tried to buy a roll of stamps with halves a few
days later, and the clerk told me that she would not take them. I thought
she was joking at first. But she wasn't. She said they didn't know what to
do with them and that they would have to take them to the bank. I told her
"Well, here's a novel idea. Why not give them out in change to your
customers?" But she was adamant, and another clerk stepped over there to
defend her position of refusing to take them. The second clerk added "If we
took them (pointing to the plastic bag that I had the halves in) we wouldn't
have any place to keep change for our customers." I countered that I had
never heard of anything so ridiculous, but then abandoned my efforts to pay
with the halves, paid with a credit card, and left the premises.

This got me to thinking, so I looked up some info in Google. From the
Coinage Act of 1965, I gleaned --"All coins and currencies of the United
States, regardless of when coined or issued, shall be legal tender for all
debts, public and private, public charges, taxes, duties and dues."

Oh well, enough said. I was just very surprised at the refusal of the P.O.
to take them. Shucks, had I been the clerk, I think I would have enjoyed
giving them out to my customers. (I suspect she could have done so in only a
few hours.) By the way, my numismatic friend, when was the last time YOU
were given a half in change?

-=LDL

I got a half dollar in change it was 1973. I still have not received a
sack dollar in change yet they are never going to be popular.

On Sat, 9 Aug 2003 06:58:32 -0400 (EDT), (Edward
McGrath) wrote:

I got a half dollar in change it was 1973. I still have not received a
sack dollar in change yet they are never going to be popular.

I had a half dollar in change this year (Feb) when I was in San
Francisco - didn't know what it was but I kept it. Actually I should
say I thought I'd kept it but I can't find it now... but as I remember
it was some 1776/1976 commerative. I also recall - this may have been
a dream - but the edge of the coin seemed to be in two colours, and
the head was upside down - or maybe it was the building on the other
side that was upside down and the head was actually the right way up.

On Sat, 09 Aug 2003 10:43:08 GMT, "Larry Louks"
wrote:

Hi Folks,

I recently got a bunch of Kennedy halves from my bank, picking through them
to put together a circulated set of Kennedys.

I did ithe same thing with the $500 I got from the Credit Union a
couple of months ago.

Rather than taking them back
to the bank when I was finished looking through them, I decided to spend
them here and there around the community. (My thinking was "When was the
last time you received a half dollar in change?") For me, it's probably been
20 years or more.

Consequently, I've now spent about $200 worth of them. It's been fun seeing
the reaction of people when I pay for something with a fist full of them. I
paid for a $28 Money Order at the post office last week with halves. But
imagine my surprise when I tried to buy a roll of stamps with halves a few
days later, and the clerk told me that she would not take them. I thought
she was joking at first. But she wasn't. She said they didn't know what to
do with them and that they would have to take them to the bank.

Gosh, how inconsiderate of you! That would mean they would have to
prepare a deposit for the bank. Wait, they would have to do that
anyway. Then I guess someone would have to take the money to the
bank. Wait, they would have to do that anyway too. Then it must be
that adding decimals must be the problem. Wait, they would have to do
that with .01, .05, .10 and .25 already. I give up.

I told her
"Well, here's a novel idea. Why not give them out in change to your
customers?"

She would have probably used the infamous defense of "People don't
want them so we don't give them out. Not that we ever had any to give
out in the first place and never mind the fact that, having not given
one out, no one ever got the opportunity to refuse one."

But she was adamant, and another clerk stepped over there to
defend her position of refusing to take them.

"They're big. And silver colored. We fear them."

The second clerk added "If we
took them (pointing to the plastic bag that I had the halves in) we wouldn't
have any place to keep change for our customers." I countered that I had
never heard of anything so ridiculous, but then abandoned my efforts to pay
with the halves, paid with a credit card, and left the premises.

Maybe the bank manager who refused to take the Ikes a little while ago
has a new occupation!

Oh well, enough said. I was just very surprised at the refusal of the P.O.
to take them. Shucks, had I been the clerk, I think I would have enjoyed
giving them out to my customers. (I suspect she could have done so in only a
few hours.) By the way, my numismatic friend, when was the last time YOU
were given a half in change?

I spend both halves (I still have $30 rolled right in front of me as I
type) and golden dollars (only 8 of those left not counting the 10 i
keep in my pocket) whenever I get the opportunity.

Now, I don't spend $28 in halves at one time, but I do use them to
minimize the other change I would otherwise get or to make sure I
don't get back any rag bucks.

However, I have never received a half dollar or golden/SBA dollar coin
in change without expressly asking for it.

Steve
Buy the book before the coin
don't forget to *READ* the book after you've bought it!
It doesn't do anything just sitting on the shelf

(remove ATTITUDE to replay via e-mail)

Steve Ruud wrote:

I spend both halves ... and golden dollars ... whenever I get the
opportunity.

Right on, Steve! This half-dollar experience is the first time I've gone on
a "serious spending spree" with halves, but I've been getting Sac dollars
from the bank ever since they were introduced, and spending them around here
and there. I don't recall ever having been given a Sac or Suzie-B dollar in
change. (Though I was recently given a $2 bill in change when I broke a $20
somewhere, and that was a first.)

-=LDL

Darren wrote but I remember it was some 1776/1976 commerative. I also
recall - this may have been a dream snip Darren, you were not dreaming
there was a half dollar minted as you described so they actually
existed. I have an extra half dollar 1776/1976 commem with beautiful
luster. If you want it e-mail me your addy and I'll send it to you. You
have to promise me you won't spend it on a bag of California herb : ) Ed

x-no-archive:yes From: "Larry Louks" :
"... From the Coinage Act of 1965, I gleaned --"All coins and currencies of the
United States, regardless of when coined or issued, shall be legal tender for
all
debts, public and private..."

What you may not realize is that the "Legal tender for all debts.." Does
NOT mean that a retail business Must accept your money. In fact, somewhere on
the BEP site it mentions this, & also says that there is no US law that
"requires" businesses to accept american money.
A "Debt" is a legal PRE-existing condition.
---- If, for example, The post office had given you the Stamps last month, &
sent you a bill, then they would be obligated to accept legal tender for the
"Debt". If a Debtor Refuses US Legal tender as payment for the "pre-existing"
debt, you have fulfilled Your obligation, & a judge may declare that the Debt
has been "satisfied", & you may not have to pay any remainder.
--- Walking into a store & saying, "I'll give you these 100 $2 bills for
that DVD player" is proposing an "exchange", it is Not a "Debt".
---- A business can legally put up a sign that says "No pennies, No bills
larger than a $20 or whatever. Heck, it is perfectly legal for someone to open
a US fruit stand & only accept Broken toys & old shillings, No US money, as
payment for his goods, although neither is US "Legal Tender"!!!

Larry Louks wrote:
By the way, my numismatic friend, when
was the last time YOU were given a half in change?

Surprisingly, it was about two weeks ago at the Renaissance Forest
Faire. They were selling fruit ices for $3.50, and using exclusively
half dollars for change. Novel concept.

(The faire itself was a colossal waste of time, but I had free
tickets...)

--
Bob

Idiotic rule made up by your local USPS people. I have seen the same thing at one and
only one of the many PO's I use. The employees there are particularly old compared to
the young and middle aged employees at other offices.

I simply called 1-800-ASK-USPS and reported this behavior. They were NOT amuzed and
promised to correct the attitude of the employees. Now I just get a 'look' but no
serious resistance from them, but I still avoid that office since the lines are the
longest I've ever encountered.

I used Golden Dollars - not halves.

--
-Fred Shecter
Auctions:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...shreadv ector

To reply by e-mail, remove zorch two places.
"Larry Louks" wrote in message
news:0f4Za.104168$YN5.72091@sccrnsc01...
Hi Folks,

I recently got a bunch of Kennedy halves from my bank, picking through them
to put together a circulated set of Kennedys. Rather than taking them back
to the bank when I was finished looking through them, I decided to spend
them here and there around the community. (My thinking was "When was the
last time you received a half dollar in change?") For me, it's probably been
20 years or more.

Consequently, I've now spent about $200 worth of them. It's been fun seeing
the reaction of people when I pay for something with a fist full of them. I
paid for a $28 Money Order at the post office last week with halves. But
imagine my surprise when I tried to buy a roll of stamps with halves a few
days later, and the clerk told me that she would not take them. I thought
she was joking at first. But she wasn't. She said they didn't know what to
do with them and that they would have to take them to the bank. I told her
"Well, here's a novel idea. Why not give them out in change to your
customers?" But she was adamant, and another clerk stepped over there to
defend her position of refusing to take them. The second clerk added "If we
took them (pointing to the plastic bag that I had the halves in) we wouldn't
have any place to keep change for our customers." I countered that I had
never heard of anything so ridiculous, but then abandoned my efforts to pay
with the halves, paid with a credit card, and left the premises.

This got me to thinking, so I looked up some info in Google. From the
Coinage Act of 1965, I gleaned --"All coins and currencies of the United
States, regardless of when coined or issued, shall be legal tender for all
debts, public and private, public charges, taxes, duties and dues."

Oh well, enough said. I was just very surprised at the refusal of the P.O.
to take them. Shucks, had I been the clerk, I think I would have enjoyed
giving them out to my customers. (I suspect she could have done so in only a
few hours.) By the way, my numismatic friend, when was the last time YOU
were given a half in change?

-=LDL

"Larry Louks" wrote in message
news:0f4Za.104168$YN5.72091@sccrnsc01...
Hi Folks,

I recently got a bunch of Kennedy halves from my bank, picking through
them
to put together a circulated set of Kennedys. Rather than taking them back
to the bank when I was finished looking through them, I decided to spend
them here and there around the community. (My thinking was "When was the
last time you received a half dollar in change?") For me, it's probably
been
20 years or more.

Consequently, I've now spent about $200 worth of them. It's been fun
seeing
the reaction of people when I pay for something with a fist full of them.
I
paid for a $28 Money Order at the post office last week with halves. But
imagine my surprise when I tried to buy a roll of stamps with halves a few
days later, and the clerk told me that she would not take them. I thought
she was joking at first. But she wasn't. She said they didn't know what to
do with them and that they would have to take them to the bank. I told her
"Well, here's a novel idea. Why not give them out in change to your
customers?" But she was adamant, and another clerk stepped over there to
defend her position of refusing to take them. The second clerk added "If
we
took them (pointing to the plastic bag that I had the halves in) we
wouldn't
have any place to keep change for our customers." I countered that I had
never heard of anything so ridiculous, but then abandoned my efforts to
pay
with the halves, paid with a credit card, and left the premises.

This got me to thinking, so I looked up some info in Google. From the
Coinage Act of 1965, I gleaned --"All coins and currencies of the United
States, regardless of when coined or issued, shall be legal tender for all
debts, public and private, public charges, taxes, duties and dues."

Oh well, enough said. I was just very surprised at the refusal of the P.O.
to take them. Shucks, had I been the clerk, I think I would have enjoyed
giving them out to my customers. (I suspect she could have done so in only
a
few hours.) By the way, my numismatic friend, when was the last time YOU
were given a half in change?

-=LDL

I don't think I have ever been given a half in change, at least in the last
25 years. OTOH, about 200 halfs a week are given as change from my
registers. They are spent back in my store and are spent around town ( I
see them in the tills). Other clerks do not hand them out, though, as
change. BTW, today I pulled out two 64 Kennedys before putting the halfs
into the till. Bill