My Washington Dollar Experience

Got a roll of Washington Dollars at the bank and started out to see where
I could spend them.

First stop McDonalds for breakfast. Cashier looked at it and asked what it
was, called manager over who examined it. He told me it was not a coin
since it did not have a date... After much explaining, they still refused
to take them, although the person behind be wanted them. So I got my
breakfast.

Stop 2. Wal-Mart. Cashier said they only take American money. Manager
came over and asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about. I
was able to spend them after his inspection.

Stop 3. Big Lots! Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade
tokens. Manager came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took them.

Stop 4. Costco. No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.

Stop 5. Burger King. Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager thought
it was fake. The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.

On Feb 21, 10:22 am, "Wes Chormicle" wrote:
Got a roll of Washington Dollars at the bank and started out to see where
I could spend them.

First stop McDonalds for breakfast. Cashier looked at it and asked what it
was, called manager over who examined it. He told me it was not a coin
since it did not have a date... After much explaining, they still refused
to take them, although the person behind be wanted them. So I got my
breakfast.

Stop 2. Wal-Mart. Cashier said they only take American money. Manager
came over and asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about. I
was able to spend them after his inspection.

Stop 3. Big Lots! Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade
tokens. Manager came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took them.

Stop 4. Costco. No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.

Stop 5. Burger King. Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager thought
it was fake. The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.

All due to the proper lack of promotion by the mint.
My local paper has not had anything in it about the new coins.
When they change the look of currency, my paper prints illustrations
of the new bills so everyone will know what they look like.
The new dollar coin looks like a Chuck E. Cheese token!

This would not seem to bode well for the new coins. If the population
largely hates having to deal with them...they won't stay viable long.

Joe Winnett

"Wes Chormicle" wrote in message
news
Got a roll of Washington Dollars at the bank and started out to see where
I could spend them.

First stop McDonalds for breakfast. Cashier looked at it and asked what
it was, called manager over who examined it. He told me it was not a coin
since it did not have a date... After much explaining, they still refused
to take them, although the person behind be wanted them. So I got my
breakfast.

Stop 2. Wal-Mart. Cashier said they only take American money. Manager
came over and asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about.
I was able to spend them after his inspection.

Stop 3. Big Lots! Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade
tokens. Manager came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took
them.

Stop 4. Costco. No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.

Stop 5. Burger King. Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager
thought it was fake. The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.









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In article t,
"Wes Chormicle" wrote:

:
He told me it was not a coin since it did not have a date... After
much explaining, they still refused to take them, although the person
behind be wanted them.
:
Cashier said they only take American money. Manager came over and
asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about.
:
Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade tokens. Manager
came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took them.
:
No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.
:
Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager thought it was fake.
The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.

Why don't we all print up a bunch of the one-page flyers about the new
dollars and, when confronted with someone who doubts they're real
money, hand them a flyer.

I bet most people will want them, and if the manager sees this, might
decide to use them as change in the store.

My first reaction was to laugh at these people, but then I realized not
everyone pays attention to such things. I saw many articles on the web
and in my local paper about the new dollar coins, but obviously not
every paper had an article and not everyone reads a paper or saw the
web articles.

Let's use this as an opportunity to educate people about the coins.
This is beginning to be fun!

Paul

--
Paul Anderson
OpenVMS Engineering
Hewlett-Packard Company

I've spent them at over a dozen stores and about 5 or 6 gas stations mixed in with
Sacagawea dollars.

The reactions were 100% positive.

They immediately understood how much they were worth since they clearly say United States
of America and $1 on them. They may also know (but I did not ask) that the Statue of
Liberty is in the United States.

About half of them had seen the news reports on TV or the newspaper.

Vons (the local Safeway) went through their coins in 1 to 2 days and most are ordering
more. Cashiers and customers *loved* them.

-Fred Shecter


--
"""Remove "zorch" from address (2 places) to reply.
http://www.sirius.com/


"Wes Chormicle" wrote in message
news
Got a roll of Washington Dollars at the bank and started out to see where I could spend
them.

First stop McDonalds for breakfast. Cashier looked at it and asked what it was, called
manager over who examined it. He told me it was not a coin since it did not have a
date... After much explaining, they still refused to take them, although the person
behind be wanted them. So I got my breakfast.

Stop 2. Wal-Mart. Cashier said they only take American money. Manager came over and
asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about. I was able to spend them
after his inspection.

Stop 3. Big Lots! Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade tokens.
Manager came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took them.

Stop 4. Costco. No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.

Stop 5. Burger King. Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager thought it was fake.
The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.

I printed the 8.5 x 14 "Mailer" and gave it to bank tellers in late January and early
February. I think it helped.

http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/mint...ams/Mailer.pdf

--
"""Remove "zorch" from address (2 places) to reply.
http://www.sirius.com/


"Paul Anderson" wrote in message
news
In article t,
"Wes Chormicle" wrote:

:
He told me it was not a coin since it did not have a date... After
much explaining, they still refused to take them, although the person
behind be wanted them.
:
Cashier said they only take American money. Manager came over and
asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about.
:
Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade tokens. Manager
came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took them.
:
No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.
:
Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager thought it was fake.
The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.

Why don't we all print up a bunch of the one-page flyers about the new
dollars and, when confronted with someone who doubts they're real
money, hand them a flyer.

I bet most people will want them, and if the manager sees this, might
decide to use them as change in the store.

My first reaction was to laugh at these people, but then I realized not
everyone pays attention to such things. I saw many articles on the web
and in my local paper about the new dollar coins, but obviously not
every paper had an article and not everyone reads a paper or saw the
web articles.

Let's use this as an opportunity to educate people about the coins.
This is beginning to be fun!

Paul

--
Paul Anderson
OpenVMS Engineering
Hewlett-Packard Company

On Feb 21, 11:13 am, Paul Anderson wrote:
Why don't we all print up a bunch of the one-page flyers about the new
dollars and, when confronted with someone who doubts they're real
money, hand them a flyer.

It isn't "our" job to educate the public.
The U.S. Mint should have done that, starting at least 6 months ago.
maybe you have so much spare time that you can do such things but I
have better things to do with my time (like look for die varieties on
state quarters!)
Speaking of varieties, has anyone reported a Washington Dollar without
the edge lettering yet?

"Wes Chormicle" wrote in message
news
Got a roll of Washington Dollars at the bank and started out to see where
I could spend them.

First stop McDonalds for breakfast. Cashier looked at it and asked what
it was, called manager over who examined it. He told me it was not a coin
since it did not have a date... After much explaining, they still refused
to take them, although the person behind be wanted them. So I got my
breakfast.

Stop 2. Wal-Mart. Cashier said they only take American money. Manager
came over and asked if these were the "New" dollar coins he heard about.
I was able to spend them after his inspection.

Stop 3. Big Lots! Cashier wouldn't take them, thought they were arcade
tokens. Manager came over and after 5 minutes (and a phone call) took
them.

Stop 4. Costco. No problem at all. The cashier even wanted some extra.

Stop 5. Burger King. Cashier said it wasn't "real" money, manager
thought it was fake. The owner (?) then came out and said it was ok.



The mint should award the PR contract elsewhere. Billy

"Joe Winnett" wrote in message
news:12_Ch.2366$XT.551@trnddc06...
This would not seem to bode well for the new coins. If the population
largely hates having to deal with them...they won't stay viable long.

Joe Winnett


It's too bad the congressional and/or Mint's Human Factors people didn't
research this more thoroughly before giving the okay to another ten years of
dollar coins. The only ones who seem to be excited about the new dollars
are coin collectors and "lay" people who want to save one because they're
new and different. Few seem excited over the prospect of carrying and
spending them.

Bruce

"Fred Shecter" wrote in message
...
I printed the 8.5 x 14 "Mailer" and gave it to bank tellers in late January
and early February. I think it helped.

http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/mint...ams/Mailer.pdf


I'll bet that bank tellers are really excited over the prospect of handling
more of those dollar coins, mostly for collectors and curious customers.
Contributing to public education about our history is not their job. Once
the novelty wears of in a year or so, the coins will likely be unwelcomed
millstones around the bankers' necks. It will be so much easier to make up
excuses as to why they have none available than to accommodate those few who
will insist on unmixed bags and rolls of the various presidents by date. If
banks order dollar coins at all, will they also have to accept 33% of the
total in new Sac dollars? Otherwise, there's another totally wasteful
effort, minting those things. The simple dollar bill is looking better and
better.

Bruce