Author Topic: The National Coin Shortage Is Real (Read 1424 times)

RiseLikeRa · « **on:** July 23, 2020, 10:35:36 PM »

Group:

Depending upon who you listen to and what you believe this Covid 19 has numerous terrible symptoms and deleterious effects on the human body. Soon one such form of Covid badness may be Bally EM withdrawals. How so you might ask...

In order to make room for my latest 873 I had to sell my IGT Fortune 1 Caesar's Palace 5 cent game. It was a 3 line game and operated much like one of our 831 slots. I instructed the buyer not to play the game without having a good sum of nickles in the hopper. This would avoid that darn Coin In Time Out error message. I suggested that she get a box of nickles from the bank so that she could have a stocked hopper and some coins to play with. Much to my surprise after 2 weeks the buyer who happens to be a successful business owner with a commercial account at a national bank, has not been able to get a $100 box of coins. Dumbfounded, I did what any red blooded American would do, I googled it. Sure enough, for a litany of reasons, US coinage is as scarce a round hens teeth.
As if this pandemic has not already exacted a horrific price on the world it now threatens the respected and time honored tradition of coin operated gaming. You had better add dimes and quarters to you list of things to horde, like butt wipe, bullets and Slim Jims. When/if the second wave hit it could be a long one. The sanity you save may be your own.

Stay healthy and well
Rise Like Ra

shortrackskater · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2020, 08:46:20 AM »

She might just have to start buying things with paper money, then collect the nickels in change.

I miss cash actually. And I think it hurts employees at businesses. At Starbucks, where everyone knows I USED to go, I'd pay cash and dump change into the tip jar. Now I just use the app to get my reward points, so I have to remember throwing a dollar in the jar from time to time since I don't usually carry change.
However, I have been saving all my change for 20 years at least. Most of my machines are well stocked especially the nickel denomination ones.
Hmmmmm maybe I should offer rolls of nickels on ebay for say $5 a roll?

RiseLikeRa · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2020, 08:53:46 AM »

A true entrepreneur! As always I like the way you think.

Ra

rickhunter · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2020, 09:49:58 AM »

I think I'm hoarding about 4 of the $100 boxes of nickels. I got them years ago when the nickels changed to have the buffalo design for the 2005 mint year since I've always been a fan of the buffalo design. I exclusively used designs from the Westward journey series on my nickel slots, so there's a mix of all 4 types on both of my nickel hoppers. My quarter hoppers have designs only from the america the beautiful and the 50 state designs. My Bally EM has the old quarter design with some independence quarters mixed in.

63mini · « **Reply #4 on:** July 24, 2020, 10:10:27 AM »

My wife and I have thought about this coin shortage thing. You would think that there would actually be more coinage in circulation. Since so, many people have lost their jobs that they would be dumpin' those old water bottles full of coins.....

I know of a few people who have walked out on their purchases when the store rounded their $2.39 breakfast sandwich to $3.00.

Simple Sam · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2020, 05:22:00 PM »

Glad I got that $100 nickel box a few months ago. I'm also good for quarters since I converted my S2000 to a TITO system.

rdaniel · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2020, 05:32:17 PM »

Here in Las Vegas I went into a Chase Bank branch a few days ago. I asked for $10 in nickels and was told I could get only $4. So I took what I could get. Fortunately I have a good supply of nickels at home. Seems that people are hoarding change. Laundry mats and other businesses which deal in lots of coins are not open as much so coinage just sits around the home.

I wonder what the US Mint is doing. Usually the mint responds to shortages by minting more coin.

RiseLikeRa · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2020, 09:57:32 PM »

I am glad that most of us are well situated for the Great Coin Drought of 2020. I am in a good space also with my coin needs. No credit to myself since I had less nickles on hand than I would have liked a few weeks ago. I was lazy and scared of catching the cooties so I did not go to the bank like I had planned. It all worked out in the end since I sold that 5 cent machine and was able to replenish my wrapped coins when I cleaned out the hopper. What other nasty surprises does this year have in store for us?

A massive seismic event? A Tsunami? Aliens invading from the dark side of the moon? Nothing is apparently off the table this year. I am just hoping to survive to see the next decade in good health. Stash you coins and sanitizer all in one place.

Stay well all
Ra

shortrackskater · « **Reply #8 on:** July 25, 2020, 03:42:09 PM »

Quote from: RiseLikeRa on July 24, 2020, 09:57:32 PM

What other nasty surprises does this year have in store for us?
A massive seismic event? A Tsunami? Aliens invading from the dark side of the moon? Nothing is apparently off the table this year. I am just hoping to survive to see the next decade in good health. Stash you coins and sanitizer all in one place.
Stay well all
Ra

I say government disclosure on aliens is next!

shortrackskater · « **Reply #9 on:** July 25, 2020, 03:46:16 PM »

Did somebody say nickels? I have an entire other hopper full in addition to these.
The oldies are for my Jennings and Mills VP's.

RiseLikeRa · « **Reply #10 on:** July 25, 2020, 04:12:39 PM »

Some restaurants are giving away free beverages and even sandwiches here in the New York area if you pay your bill entirely with coins. Such a deal!

Ra

rdaniel · « **Reply #11 on:** July 25, 2020, 06:01:07 PM »

Those liberty nickels are worth more than face value.

Amechanic · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2020, 11:21:36 PM »

Quote from: shortrackskater on July 25, 2020, 03:46:16 PM

Did somebody say nickels? I have an entire other hopper full in addition to these.
The oldies are for my Jennings and Mills VP's.

SOLD!!!

shortrackskater · « **Reply #13 on:** July 26, 2020, 09:20:03 AM »

Quote from: rdaniel on July 25, 2020, 06:01:07 PM

Those liberty nickels are worth more than face value.

I know.

I've been buying some "cull" V nickels (not all that collectible due to condition) and ended up getting an entire roll of slightly better condition ones. I had collected lots of dateless buffalos and then bought a roll of "just visible" date buffalos, and another roll of dateless buffalos. They're all getting dumped into my antique machines. I have a few shield nickels but I think they're too thin. I'll stick one in and see what happens.

The shields are worth a few dollars each, even in poor condition.
Someone will "discover" all this stuff someday!

DavidLee · « **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2020, 01:39:00 PM »

Hey, Ra

Use my machines like banks, all the quarters and nickels go into the machines.
Dimes and pennies are used at the automated cashier. Thus paying down the amount to just under the nearest quarter to receive quarters back.

Coin shortage will last to after the election.
Just another arrow aimed at the White House along with all the other crap going on.

RiseLikeRa · « **Reply #15 on:** July 29, 2020, 08:03:58 PM »

David good to hear from you as always. A full hopper IS a good source of quick cash. I just feel sorry for the lady that bought my slot game and is afraid to play it because she has only a few nickels. I gave her a complementary roll as a welcome to the hobby gift.

Remember that you heard of the shortage here first on NLG!

Ra

jay · « **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2020, 07:53:29 AM »

Here in Canada we eliminated the Penny.
If you buy a 2.39 item on credit or debit you pay 2.39, if you pay cash its 2.40.
If an item is 2.35 you pay 2.30 cash.

A good number of businesses are trying to eliminate touch so they are only accepting credit / debit
Tap is good up to $200 now. Otherwise its a pin transaction.
We have not had to sign for Visa/CC for about 2 yrs now.

RiseLikeRa · « **Reply #17 on:** July 30, 2020, 08:41:42 AM »

There was talk just today about the US Mint eliminating the penny. It has almost no monetary value but a great deal of sentimental to many old folks like myself. I would be sad to see it go but I would not resist if it went by the wayside.

Ra

jay · « **Reply #18 on:** July 30, 2020, 08:52:29 AM »

We also eliminated the paper $1 & $2 bills.
Our $1 coin is called the loonie, and features a loon, which is our national bird.
Our $2 coin is called the toonie (and no I am not joking).
Apparently saved a lot of $$ due to the longevity of the coin vs paper.

Speaking of which our paper money is now polymer plastic... which again outlives paper.

if there is a lot of sediment for the penny, the US dollar with old George on it would be an even harder removal.
Albeit they are talking about blowing up Mt. Rushmore due to the history of slave ownership.... so is the removal of the $1 bill so far fetched.

One of the most compelling reasons to blow up Mt. Rushmore is to ensure Trump never gets his moniker up there..... Rumor has it that this was his next project after the wall...... assuming reelection.

shortrackskater · « **Reply #19 on:** July 30, 2020, 10:16:17 AM »

Back when the penny was larger than a quarter. If I calculated this correctly, you could buy about $3.50 worth of goods back in 1844.

News:

NLG Site Navigation Menu

Author Topic: The National Coin Shortage Is Real (Read 1424 times)