Cents Sense

This fall it is going to cost you a whole heck of a lot more for Canadian thoughts. That’s when the Royal Canadian Mint will stop making pennies. Apparently, it costs 1.5 cents to make a single Canadian penny valued at…. 1 cent. So, they’re discontinuing the coin as a measure to halt general stupidity and create a positive impact on their country's economy.

But I ask you – what about their self-esteem? Come December, no one is going to give one red cent to hear their two cents worth.

Yep, they’ll be left with their self-worth in their shoes and their eyes relentlessly searching the skies – ‘cause heaven’s the only Canadian penny pitcher from here on out.

To make matters worse, they’ll spend their days scrounging around in fields for four-leaf clovers. After all, those vegetative mutants will be the only lucky finds left in the land of the maple leaf. By next summer, you’ll be able to spot a Canuck three miles away, just by the grass stains on his or her knees.

Clearly our friends from the Great White North are in need of our prayers.

But wait!  Our sad penniless days may be just around the corner. Currently it costs the United States taxpayers 2.41 cents to create a penny valued at… 1 cent.

Well, that’s enough to make me say “eh?” and grab a Molson.

Faced with the exorbitant expense of cents and the fact that Americans only ever purchase with pennies when they’re trying to avoid getting more pennies as change – well, it is no wonder that the penny's demise is being debated.

Then there’s the inconvenient fact that a pre-1982 penny saved is a penny... worth 1.5 cents in melted copper. Hmmmmm….

But DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT melt down your pre-1982 pennies. The penalty for a penny melt is 5 years in prison! And the state of California reports that it costs a pretty penny to house an inmate – $47,000 per year.

You, too, can do the math – that’s $235,000 for melting an item valued at 1 cent with a material worth of 1.5 cents that costs 2.41 cents to make.

Could we use a little “change”?

PROMPT: Put in your two cents worth while you still can! It’s all about those endearing copper bits today. What do pennies mean to you? Did you ever buy penny candy? Wear penny loafers? Put a penny in a wishing well? Go ahead, be penny wise and pound foolish. After all… for igniting your writing or visual art, I’m thinkin’ those Lincolns are a great place to start.