Simplifying Change

The ever practical New Zealanders are always tweaking their system, right down to their pocket change, writes Eric Bergeson for the Morris Sun Tribune. “They got rid of the 1-cent and 2-cent coins during my last trip there in 1987. All prices were rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. Then in 2006, the Reserve Bank got rid of the nickel as well. Yet, every attempt made in the United States to simplify our coinage system has met with stiff resistance. Adoption of a sensible coinage system would save billions of dollars and tons of hassle. If you’ve ever counted a till at the end of a day of retail sales, you know how much time the New Zealand system would save us.”