LOOSE CHANGE: MARCH 22, 2026

A bill introduced last year in Congress and passed out of the House financial services committee would apply symmetrical rounding across the country. U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., said in an email the federal law is important to prevent a "confusing patchwork of state policies."

The bill hasn't been voted on in the House and would still need to move through the U.S. Senate before reaching Trump's desk.

In the meantime, bills to deal with penniless cash transactions have passed both chambers and await the governor's signature in Arizona, Florida, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. Some states are proposing to allow businesses to round cash purchases, while others consider requiring it.

In Indiana, a bill signed into law this month by Republican Gov. Mike Braun tells businesses they must round cash purchases for all transactions that do not end in a zero or five. Lawmakers revised that provision in a second bill that makes rounding optional, which would take effect Sunday if Braun signs it into law.

To read the complete article, see:
(https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/without-new-pennies-state-lawmakers-rush-to-set-rounding-rules)

I filled out the requisite application for myself and my six-year-old son, Daniel. In his application, I noted that he was officially too young to participate in the strike ceremony, but asked if he could be allowed to attend as an observer. Once again, the governor's liaison had to ask three times before finally being told, "We'll do something."

In early January 2004, Daniel and I flew to Denver the day before the ceremony. Some of us who arrived that day gathered in the lobby of the nearby hotel to plan the program. To my surprise and delight, Daniel was included as one of the participants who would strike coins at the ceremony.

As production of the 2004 Michigan Statehood Quarters had already begun, the event was labeled the 2004 Michigan Statehood Quarter Ceremonial Strike Ceremony. It turned out that the head of the Denver Mint was born in Muskegon, Mich., and obtained his college degree from Western Michigan University. I didn't ask, but assumed that was why he requested to host the program at this Mint facility.

No official representing the state of Michigan was in attendance, so the Mint Superintendent had the honor of striking the first piece, which now resides in the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing. Daniel struck the second piece, which was presented to the current Michigan governor at the public release ceremony held on January 26 (the anniversary of Michigan's statehood). A ten-year-old son of another Commission member struck the third coin that was later presented to the prior governor who had appointed the Commission members. Then the six Commission members in attendance, in alphabetical order, struck a specimen that they were given during the public release ceremony (I struck coin #6).

To read the complete article, see:
The Youngest Person Known to Strike a U.S. Coin (https://www.numismaticnews.net/the-youngest-person-known-to-strike-a-u-s-coin)

Since the Bank of England (BOE) switched to printing on polymer from paper 10 years ago, Britons now eat much less cash.

Data from the UK central bank shows that the number of damaged notes has declined precipitously in the past decade, especially when it comes to those taken out of circulation because they've been "chewed or eaten".

In the year before the BOE started rolling out plastic notes – a process it kicked off in 2016 with the Churchill fiver – there were almost 22,000 claims made for damaged notes made by the public, banks, businesses and the police. That included 5,364 that it said were mangled by attempted consumption.

For last year, the figures show a mere 274 were chewed or eaten, with overall claims for damaged notes halving from 2015. That comes despite the number of notes in circulation increasing to record highs.

To read the complete article, see:
An unexpected benefit of UK banknote innovation: Britons eat less cash (https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/unexpected-benefit-uk-banknote-innovation-britons-eat-less-cash?)

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web