MSE Poll: Should 1p and 2p pieces be ditched?

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Former_MSE_Karl
Former_MSE_Karl Posts: 175 Forumite
First Post I've been Money Tipped! Newshound! Best Buy Bear
in MoneySaving polls
Poll started 30 April 2019
A year ago, the Chancellor called 1p and 2p coins obsolete. This week, he'll announce his decision on whether to scrap them (it's expected he won't).

The likes of Australia, Canada and Sweden have already ditched their copper equivalents, so should the UK follow suit?
Click here to vote in the poll
Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below.

If you haven't already, join the forum to reply.

Thanks! :)
«134

Comments

  • LadyDee
    LadyDee Posts: 4,293 Forumite
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    Not surprised at all - the young generally have very little idea of the value of money (saw a post on here today when a debt of £2.5k was dismissed as being nothing) - and the Chancellor doesn't need to count the pennies in his own pocket. We older ones do.
  • One-Eye
    One-Eye Posts: 66,445 Forumite
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    I think many people leave their small change in a charity collection jar at the counter. Charities might suffer a little bit if copper is withdrawn.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,030 Forumite
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    Won't prices go down?


    Instead of conning us that prices are less than they actually are by ending in 99p they would have to end in 95p.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • Ectophile
    Ectophile Posts: 7,331 Forumite
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    When I was young, you could actually buy something for a penny (sweets, mostly).


    Now, they are just pointless. I have a big jar of them, that never get used for anything. Any pennies or tuppences I get now just go into charity tins.


    According to this BBC article https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-43388662 six out of every ten pennies or tuppences are only ever used once. They get shoved into jars, or just thrown away. The Royal Mint has to make another 500 million of them every year to replace the ones that have just dropped out of circulation.



    I rarely even use 5p coins now.
    If it sticks, force it.
    If it breaks, well it wasn't working right anyway.
  • wooried
    wooried Posts: 8 Forumite
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    I've been to Oz. Prices are still x.99 in supermarkets, they get added up at the till, then rounded.
    In last week's poll we showed that we'll mostly pay electronically in future, so shops won't even need to round the final bill.
    However, it appears that the Tory support Base (over 65, average member 72) won't like it, so don't hold your breath.
    BTW I'm 70, hate the little things and nearly always pay electronically.
  • 203846930
    203846930 Posts: 4,708 Forumite
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    They should wait until all the old people have died before they stop issuing the coins.

    Anyone that throws any coin away on purpose should be shot.
  • unforeseen
    unforeseen Posts: 7,280 Forumite
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    edited 1 May 2019 at 7:58AM
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    How about outlawing 0.9p or 0.7p on the price of fuel? What is the point apart from Asda being able to claim their fuel is cheaper than Tesco because the charge x.7p per litre instead of x.9p
  • MinnieCooper55
    MinnieCooper55 Posts: 6 Forumite
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    I always put my 1p and 2p change in charity pots. I think they would lose out if people couldn’t do that.
  • MinnieCooper55
    MinnieCooper55 Posts: 6 Forumite
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    One-Eye wrote: »
    I think many people leave their small change in a charity collection jar at the counter. Charities might suffer a little bit if copper is withdrawn.

    Totally agree. :T
  • NOWSE
    NOWSE Posts: 385 Forumite
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    I say ditch the 1p but keep the 2p. That way we could still price things at the amounts that we do now, except for something costing either 1p or 3p, by combining 2ps with 5ps.
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