Penny offense: Man fined for paying fee in pennies

[dullard]

However when we try to go to try and get rid of the nickel, the rule of 5 and up gets rounded up, means that there is more times that it gets rounded up (1,2,3,4 vs, 5,6,7,8,9).

The idea that you should round 5's up is a very incorrect rounding practice. It is sad that so many people think it is correct to always round up when there is a 5.

The mathematically correct rounding system is this:
A) Round down for 1, 2, 3, or 4.
B) Round up for 6, 7, 8, or 9.
A) Round to the nearest even number for a 5.

For example, 12.5 is rounded to 12 while 13.5 is rounded to 14.

Follow that proper rounding technique and it still evens out in the long run. But, even if it didn't even out, would you really miss those few pennies?

 

[actuarial]

Oh, and private businesses are entirely able to choose which forms payments they accept. It's how many businesses can legally refuse to accept $50 & $100 bills, just the same as they can legally refuse to accept a bucket of pennies. Learn your facts. The law says the Federal Reserve System must always accept all forms of legal tender. Everyone else has the freedom to pick & choose, just that after an agreement is reached the form of payment cannot be refused.

In Canuckistan, I was under the impression that is was illegal for a business to refuse a $100 bill, but that no one enforces it so it remains in practice.

I could be wrong though.

 

[werepossum]

Pennies are not legal tender for any debt above $2. Neither are nickles. Dimes used to be okay, and may still be. But as Cubby said, no private business is obligated to take any particular form of legal tender except in the discharge of a debt. I think this guy would be okay had he paid in dimes, unless the law has changed.