Man Tries To Fuel Up For Pennies -- $10 Worth

[OhioChick]

Clerks Called Police When Man Became Offensive

POSTED: 7:49 pm EDT June 20, 2008

DENVER -- Talk about squeezing every penny at the gas pump.

Denver police said clerks at a gas station had a run-in with a man who insisted on paying for his fuel with $10 in pennies on Thursday.

The clerks said they were too busy with other customers and vendors making deliveries to accept the sackful of cents. They said the man was insistent and became offensive, so they called police and referred to him as an "unwanted person."

The man left before police arrived. Police say he was driving a satellite TV truck.

http://www.newsnet5.com/automotive/16669616/detail.html

Apparently, pennies don't count as money, anymore.

[MercutioATC]

1. Pre-1982 pennies are worth more than 2 cents each (copper content)

Of course, a law was passed in 2006 to make melting down U.S. currency illegal...but I still keep all of my nickels and pre-1982 pennies...

[Tutonic]

2. And a dollar doesn't count for much more either around the world.

[brentspeak]

3. Pennies are legal tender

Although I think that private businesses do have the right to refuse payment in coins. Not sure what the state law in Colorado is, though.

[Clovis Sangrail]

4. lo so many years ago...

when I worked retail I think the rule was if it was more than 1 roll worth we could require it be in rolls.
That's in Ca over 20 years ago.
Not sure if that was law or store policy... but it is legal tender so I don't see how it can be outright refused.

[daleo]

5. Imagine the embedded energy in 1000 pennies

I mean the fossil fuel needed to find the ore deposit, set up a mine, mine the ore, refine the ore into copper, shape it, cut it, stamp it at the mint, move it around to banks...

I wonder if the amount of gas that 1000 pennies would buy nowadays comes close to covering all that?