Being of late importuned by the "View new messages" link to not "forget to start new threads too", the following new controversy is presented for your edification:
There's a move a foot to do away with pennies. Various inflationary forces, the same that have led us to the point of needing a $1 coin, also lead us to the point that pennies now cost .81 cents each to make, and costs people who must deal in these smallest soldiers in our decimal currency army 60 cents for a roll of 50...uh...cents. Additional costs arise from handling, counting, storing, etc, etc. etc.
Now comes Representative Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.), offering up the Legal Tender Modernization Act, supported by the Coin Coalition, but opposed by "Americans for Common Cents", who support keeping pennies around, and who point out that Kolbe's home state is the largest producer of copper.
Now, you'd think a copper producing state would be in favor of pennies. But AFCC points out that pennies are only copper-clad, with a zinc core. Doing away with pennies will cause more use of nickels...which aren't nickel anymore, but nickel cladding over a *copper* core. Of course, the Coin Coalition points out that AFCC is funded by the zinc cartel...
Such a country!
http://money.cnn.com/2002/04/11/pf/q_pennies/index.htm