Americans have resisted the dollar coin. We like our small denominations in paper.
For savings like that, can we learn to carry them?
On the pro-side of the change, the coin has a longer shelf life. Coins can last decades, where the paper bills typically have to be retired after four or five years, according to a report in the Boston Globe.
On the negative side, the paper bill would have to be completely eliminated for the savings to accrue. And it would take several years and up-front expenses to produce the coin.
Advocates point to the recent experience in Canada, where the $1 coin has proven a huge hit. And now a $2 coin has been introduced.
Should the U.S. drop the dollar bills and make the switch? Tell us what you think in the comments section.