That pocketfull of paper $1.00 bills, and the scanner required in the vending machine to accept it, is why Canada dropped paper $1.00 bills for the metal coin now known affectionately as the "Loonie" (for the Common Loon image on one side). That was in 1987 - 23 years ago already! Planners had seen clearly then that, as prices rise, the number of quarters needed to feed a vending machine was getting ridiculous. So the obvious choice was: either start installing scanners in those machines in addition to the coin acceptance systems, or develop a $1.00 coin. As prices of everything rose further and the Loonie was such an obvious success, Canada also introduced the $2.00 coin in 1996, promptly dubbed the "Twoonie". Of course, paper $1.00 and $2.00 bills became collector items, but not very rare.
Besides convenience for customers and operators of vending machines, parking meters, etc., the two coins save the government a lot of money. The cost to produce one such coin is more that printing one paper bill, BUT the coin lasts MANY times longer than the paper currency.
Facebook
Twitter