wff_ng_7 wrote:
> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
> > I think we'd be better off if everything was just rounded to the nearest
> > 5¢ and did away with pennies.
>
> I'm in favor of that too, but my guess is it will never go over. [snip]

I think it's already going over. My practice is to say to the cashier,
"You can keep the pennies," whenever there are any due in the change.
No one ever objects, hardly any ever act even a bit surprised. So I
have the impression this is not unusual. And I am noticing more and
more often that cashiers will say something like, "That's close
enough," when I get to within pennies of finding the right change to
pay.

I've heard that it costs the government more than a penny to make a
penny and keep it in circulation. Politicians probably assume that
people would object to its elimination, and those politicians are
probably wrong. -aem